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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23658913">Broadway Blue</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerwords9/pseuds/writerwords9'>writerwords9</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Broadway - Fandom, Hamilton - Miranda, Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Backstage, Drama &amp; Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fandom Loves Puerto Rico, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Smut, Forbidden Love, Inspired by Fanfiction, Inspired by Hamilton, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Musicals, My First Fanfic, New York City, Original Character(s), Romance, Secret Relationship, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:21:29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>100,728</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23658913</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerwords9/pseuds/writerwords9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A costume designer named Blue has been working on Broadway for years, but this show is the first one that has the magic to really make an impact on the theater world forever. The creator of the show is a smooth flirt that fills her with an unexpected passion and changes her life forever, both professionally and privately. As she embarks on this creative journey with him, she never would have expected where it would lead her...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Blue's head was pounding like the bass drum in the orchestra pit by the time she stumbled through the doors of her apartment building in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Grateful to be inside the dead quiet lobby instead of on the noisy subway, she walked as straight as she could to the elevator across the plush red carpet. After being on her feet all day, the carpet beneath her felt like walking on actual marshmallows and already had her head spinning thinking about how incredibly soft her bed would be when she finally got to lay down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or maybe her head was spinning from the six shots of tequila?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Either way, she was determined she would make it up to her apartment without stumbling now. If she could survive walking the two blocks from the 59th Street–Columbus Circle subway stop without embarrassing herself, there's no way she was going to lose her dignity in front of the lobby concierge, George. He wouldn't let her live it down if he so much as got a whiff of the tequila - she learned that lesson last year when she came home wobbly from a girls' night out and he jokingly called her "Boozy Blue" for a solid month. George was an elderly gentleman that took it upon himself to make every single person that walked through his lobby smile that day. He was a gossip and knew everyone's business, but used it for good to find the perfect way to cheer each tenant up when they needed it. Neighbor Susan lost her Shih Tzu named Annabelle last year and George had a dozen lilies delivered to her apartment to offer his condolences. He knew she was allergic to carnations and made sure to get the correct flowers so he wouldn't add allergies to her list of misfortunes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue tried to act normal by waving quickly at George as he gave her an </span>
  <em>
    <span>I-know-what's-happening-but-I'm-gracious-enough-to-act-normal</span>
  </em>
  <span> look and waved back. She successfully reached the elevator and thanked the elevator gods when the most satisfying bell ever dinged and the doors opened immediately. It was already down and she didn't have to wait for it under the inquisitive eyes of George. She stepped inside and pushed the 8th-floor button with her elbow - she may have had too many shots but she was still coherent enough to use the trick her germaphobe dad taught her when she was six years old and they were shopping at the mall for a Mother's Day present for her mom. She was also coherent enough for that memory to still hurt, so she shut it in her mind as quickly as the elevator doors in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the elevator crept upwards with a lazy sway back and forth, the warmth of the non-air-conditioned space made her eyes start to droop and her mind start to wander. She reflected on her night and how bittersweet it had been. The wrap party at Bar Centrale had been a time for the cast and crew to come together for one last hoorah before they all flitted away to new productions and different paths.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue had been working on </span>
  <em>
    <span>To Tell A Lie</span>
  </em>
  <span> for two years now, and the last show this week had been difficult for everyone to deal with. They had truly become like family, working side by side for so long that they often saw each other more often than they saw their real families. It's an odd sensation to feel so heavy from mourning the end of a show, and yet at the same time so light from anticipating the next one. They had known </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lie </span>
  </em>
  <span>would be ending for months now so she had already secured an interview for a position as costume designer on another show that would be starting production in a few weeks. She was going to miss this tribe of amazingly talented people. They grew with each other over the past few years, and in turn, grew closer together. But this wasn't her first show and she knew she would be able to move on quickly. It was a huge perk of her personality in this business, being capable of attaching herself completely to people and projects, but then moving on to the next thing without lingering in melancholy for too long. Not that she didn't keep in touch with many friends from many shows, she had been to plenty of weddings and baby showers for co-workers over the years, even planned a few of them herself. It was all a part of the lifestyle she chose when she was ten years old and saw </span>
  <em>
    <span>Les Mis </span>
  </em>
  <span>for the first time; she was built for this life and it suited her well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bell dinged again and jolted her out of her reverie. She startled a little and stood up straighter from slumping against the wall, her exhaustion weighing her down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shuffled down the hallway to her door and dug around her purse for her keys. Grabbing the purple cat keychain attached to the rest of her keys, she yanked them out and shoved them into the keyhole. The second her door began to open, her ginger squishy faced cat named Molly began chirping at her from inside. She was excited to see her human, but was mostly impatient because treat time was well past-due.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue felt terrible that she had been waiting for her treats all night but knew she was used to her unusual schedule and sometimes long hours. She threw her purse down on the bench by the door and slipped her boots off. By the time she had taken two steps in the general direction of the treat cabinet in the kitchen, Molly had hopped over to it and began meowing loudly. Bending over to grab the bag of treats, Blue felt a surge wooziness and a belch escaped her lips. Molly just blinked up at her judgingly with her head turned to the side and her tail curved in the shape of a question mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't you look at me like that. If you had the chance to have six shots of Fishy Feast Treats you'd pounce on that like...well, a cat."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly jumped on the counter in response and sat down, curling her tail around her. The look of disdain on her face was only pronounced by the flatness of it. She finally licked her lips in her last attempt to remind her human of the task at hand before she resorted to scratching furniture to get her point across.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, have some extras as a bribe. I expect you to be your usual chipper self when I wake up in the morning, young lady."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly ignored her and began scarfing down the treats without even chewing to further get her point across at how late treat time had been.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue walked out of the kitchen and headed down the hall towards her beloved bed. As she passed the bathroom though, she realized she needed to wash her face and brush her teeth or she would regret it in the morning, in addition to the expected hangover. She turned right into the small bathroom and began her nightly routine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While she was slowly brushing her teeth, she stared proudly at her long brown waves. One of her hair and makeup friends, Misha, had taught her the trick of using hairspray after curling, but before brushing, to create soft waves that stayed all night. Even her makeup still looked good, her signature smokey eye accentuating her vibrant eyes. After silently thanking Misha for all of her wisdom, her eyes darted over to the sticky note she had written herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Meet with G.N. Tuesday - don't forget to bring portfolio"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her sluggish mind had to work hard to make sure tomorrow wasn't Tuesday. An internal calendar finally popped up in her mind and she realized it was Friday, which meant there was plenty of time to gather herself together for the incredibly important meeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking the time to floss - her dentist would have been so proud - she recalled how this meeting even came to be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her friend Arjun from college called her one morning with the news that he would be employed as production manager for some amazing new show. He wouldn't stop talking about it for at least three minutes until Blue had to interrupt him to tell him to take a breath before he passed out. His excitement was seeping through the phone and she could almost imagine his big brown eyes as wide as dinner plates while he talked to her. She had about a dozen questions for him, beginning with: did they already hire a costume designer and could he put in a good word for her?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Bluebonnet Mae Everson, don't you ever doubt my love for you again! The designer just up and quit, something about a family crisis, and not only do you already have an interview lined up thanks to me, but the creator saw </span>
  <em>
    <span>To Tell A Lie</span>
  </em>
  <span> last year and remembered it vividly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue gasped loud enough for Arjun to hear and she could just imagine his ego growing two sizes that day. She knew he loved to take credit for being her biggest fan in college and therefore she obviously owed him her entire career. Obviously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When I mentioned you, very casually I swear, he knew your work and seemed excited to meet with you for the position. I don't want to take too much credit, of course..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...but, when you win your Tony I expect you to weep when you mention my name and how I was such an inspiration and you are forever indebted to me- "</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay okay, I get it Arjun" and without missing a beat she then launched into her rehearsed and very dramatic 'thank you speech' in the middle of the coffee shop that she had been standing in line at for the entire conversation. She added in a few fake sobs to really get across to the 'audience' how grateful she was for Arjun.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The old accountant in front of her - he definitely was an accountant - looked at her like she had lost her mind. Which, after standing in line for ten minutes just for a caramel macchiato, she resigned to the fact that he might be correct and she might have already started the descent into madness. She shrugged at him and pointed at her phone, as if that was enough explanation. It must have been because he rolled his eyes and turned away, letting her return to her conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Listen, you don't have to convince me. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lie</span>
  </em>
  <span> is closing in a couple of months, we just got informed this week. So I'll be looking for something new anyway, and based on your new-show-on -Netflix excitement level, it sounds like it should be interesting. Just email the details and I'll add it to my calendar if I'm free."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Blue I am telling you right now, you will definitely not want to miss this meeting. Even if you finally lose your mind completely in between now and then and don't want the job, you will want to be there just to meet Gael Nevárez. He's a genius, Blue, and you know I don't use that word lightly. The stuff that comes out of his brain is unlike anything I've heard before. He wrote the script and music, is starring in it, and it’s his first time producing! I want you to be a part of this, I can feel it's going to be something meaningful. Maybe big, maybe not. But magical for sure."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I trust your intuition, your path to my Tony hasn't led me astray so far. Not to mention, it's been years since we worked together and I am desperate to feed off your mojo again. Not that I haven't loved working on </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lie, </span>
  </em>
  <span>the people have been so amazing. But now that I know it's ending I feel like I need something a little more creatively fulfilling. Know what I mean?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm telling you, this is it. I can feel it in my bones, and I want my girl Blue on the journey with me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled at that and said her goodbyes since her name was finally called by the barista. They had jokingly written her name with a blue sharpie and it almost made up for the long wait to get her much needed caffeine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought of caffeine jolted her brain back into the present day and she remembered how much she will need in the morning to fend off the hangover that is sure to meet her as soon as she opened her eyes. Her face and teeth were thoroughly cleaned, and she felt even more exhausted because her brain got the signal it got every night when she finished her bedtime routine: it was finally time for sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She padded down the rest of the hall to her room and removed her little black dress as quickly as her numb brain would allow her limbs to move. She threw it on top of the clothes hamper in the corner and flopped onto the most glorious and comfortable memory foam bed in human existence. She sighed happily as she swished her legs around the worn-in cotton sheets. Her petite frame only took up the tiniest portion of the bed, which usually left plenty of room for Molly to claim the rest of the bed real estate for herself. After plugging in her phone and setting it down on the bedside table, her eyes drifted over to the only framed photograph she owned. The edges were frayed and there was a crease down the middle from being folded too many times, but the sight of her parents embracing her four-year-old self still brought the sting of tears to her eyes. Tequila always made her sentimental, but even without that coursing through her veins, she still would have felt the pang of loss. She shook her head and abruptly packed that away. Emotions took a lot of energy for her, and that was something she was incredibly short on at the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled over and felt Molly had curled up on the bed without her noticing, purring loudly and doing her duty in keeping her feet warm. As her eyes closed and she drifted away, her thoughts were only on the upcoming weeks. The fire of excitement started burning deep in her chest, finally allowed to spark now that </span>
  <em>
    <span>To Tell A Lie </span>
  </em>
  <span>had officially closed. Who knew what she would have a chance to be a part of, or who she would be able to create alongside with on this new path. Maybe this Gael would be the genius Arjun had promised. She was ready for something fresh, ready for the exhilaration that each new show brought her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had no idea what was in store, but what happened the following Tuesday as she strolled into the Century Theater would change her life forever.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Disclaimer: I’m ok with “real people fics”, but couldn’t bring myself to write one lol, so all the characters in this story are original...but it’s completely inspired by the Hamilton production and Lin-Manuel Miranda!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Days before the meeting took place, she had been reaching for her portfolio at the top of her closet. Only catching the corner due to her shortness in stature, she accidentally knocked it off the shelf, scattering drawings and photos everywhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Great.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She debated on whether or not she could leave this mess for later, or if she should just deal with it now. Her stomach was growling for lunch, quite loudly. Ignoring the protests from her belly, she bent down and started organizing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With every photo and sketch she picked up, wonderful memories popped into her head like bubbles reflecting her time at each show. The first job she landed that she was proud enough to add to her portfolio was none other than</span>
  <em>
    <span> Les Misérables, </span>
  </em>
  <span>the play that changed her life when she was only ten years old.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her Aunt Millie was a retired historian who was married to a surgeon that still practiced and was rarely home. They lived in Dallas in one of those ridiculously large houses in Highland Park. Who could ever fill six thousand square feet of living space? They certainly couldn't, although they tried. Blue remembered marveling at how spaced out all her Aunt's furniture was when she would visit as a child. It seemed like she had to walk ten feet from the couch to the chair, and another ten feet to the coffee table. Aunt Millie did, however, keep an entire snack drawer stocked up with Pop Tarts and Twizzlers, just for when Blue would stay with her for a weekend. She knew the way to Blue's heart was in the form of a sugary treat because she too could easily be bought with processed carbs. Her time spent with her aunt, snacking and talking about life, quickly formed a bond with them that couldn't be broken.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One weekend her Aunt Millie proclaimed, "Bonnie, darlin' we are headed to the theater tonight, and before we go it's high time you learned some proper etiquette for being out in society." She hated it when her aunt called her Bonnie. She preferred to go by Blue, but since her hippie parents gave her the most ridiculous name anyone could have ever been given, she relented to the fact that Bonnie was better than her full name of Bluebonnet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aunt Millie, I already know not to sneeze into my hands and wipe it on my dress. Momma said it was rude and Daddy said it was disgusting."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Aunt Millie hummed in agreement, "yes, that is </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> of </span>
  <em>
    <span>many</span>
  </em>
  <span> things to remember when we go out tonight. Now listen, in addition to good manners it's also important we also get some culture instilled in you at an early age. So when we go see the show tonight, make sure you take in every moment because we will be discussing it afterward. You understand?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes ma'am." Blue wasn't exactly sure what to expect that night, but at only ten years old she was eager enough to please her Aunt and excited for a new adventure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not even the amount of talking her Aunt did in the car that evening could have readied her for what she was about to experience. She had never been in a room as large as the auditorium of the Music Hall at Fair Park. The teal blue seats looked like an ocean that was crashing onto the cliffside of the stage's bright red curtain. They found their seats and Aunt Millie chatted with friends she had spotted across the aisle. As the lights began to dim, Blue felt a thrill begin to spark inside her, a sensation she hadn't ever really experienced before. The moment the overture began to play, she felt like her heart stopped. Electricity flowed through her body and jolted out of each goosebump that was raised on her neck. As the curtain began to rise and her eyes were pulled to the actors on the stage...well as Aunt Millie would say: you could stick a fork in her, she was done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Never had she seen anyone dressed like this in real life. From the third row, she could notice every stitch and purposeful rip or stain on every piece of clothing in front of her. It was so overstimulating she had to close her eyes for a minute and just listen. Listen to the sound of the actor playing Jean Valjean sing, "look down!" and wonder how one man could make the sound of ten men with his booming voice. Listen to the sounds of each instrument come together to make one exquisite melody. Listen as Aunt Millie hummed along to the tunes she apparently knew so well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she worked up the courage to open her eyes again she was immediately swept up in the colors and textures and how everything felt like it belonged together on the stage. She spent the entire night soaking up every single second of the show; every light, every song, and most importantly the costumes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the car ride home, Aunt Millie was not pleased to hear more about the costumes and less about the rigid class structure that caused the French Revolution. Nonetheless, she felt it was a start in broadening Blue's worldview.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she was right. Little did she know, years later Blue would start as a wardrobe trainee fresh out of college on none other than her beloved </span>
  <em>
    <span>Les Mis</span>
  </em>
  <span>. While there, she had made some risky suggestions to the head costumer during a creative slump that led to a position as an assistant costume designer at her next show. Normally it took years to make that jump; Blue didn't take for granted her luck in the business but also gave herself credit for the hard work and long hours she put in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked down at the sketches she drew for all of the following shows she worked on and a small smile appeared on her lips. During those days she lived in a tiny studio apartment that she basically only used to sleep in, spending most of her time in the costume shop. She worked so hard on so many shows that she began to gain a name for herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then finally, she got her first gig that she was in charge. It was a new show that led the audience through the disintegration of a couple's relationship, all because of one lie that was told. The costumes were seemingly simple at first glance, but she made it visually evident during each act how far the couple had fallen from each other. Her knowledge of textiles and natural creativity made the costumes something to be remembered by viewers and critics alike.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Adding the professional photos of the costumes for </span>
  <em>
    <span>To Tell A Lie </span>
  </em>
  <span>on top, she finally packed up her portfolio and sat it on the bench by her door so it would be ready for her to grab on the way out to her meeting. She knew she would be too nervous and if it wasn't in her line of sight she might walk out the door without it tomorrow morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>While she ate the cold Justino's pizza left in the fridge as her lunch, she decided to take Arjun's advice and google the creator of the show that she would be meeting the next morning: Gael Nevárez.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The photo that displayed at the top of the search page made her eyebrows pop up as though they had a mind of their own.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was around her age and good looking. Dark hair, dark eyes, great smile. No listed partner/spouse, not that she noticed or cared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She clicked on his previous works and silently mouthed the word "oh" to herself. In her mind, his name finally connected to his works as she realized who he was. She definitely knew his most recent show, not connecting the dots that it was his show when Arjun had mentioned his name before. It did well at the Tony's and she had actually seen it with some friends a couple of years ago. He had been the composer, and she remembered the songs had been pretty phenomenal - enough so that she was humming them for weeks afterward, even downloading the soundtrack. Normally she focused more on the costumes, obviously, or even the set design; this one was different, though, and she remembered thinking the music really stood out. She even went around telling all her friends to go catch a show, it was good enough to recommend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closed her computer and got up to get another slice of pizza. She didn't want to go into the meeting looking like a creep that had stalked him online, but she was glad for the little bit of info she had gained so she didn't seem uninformed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The work Blue had been doing in order to prepare herself for the meeting she was walking into did absolutely nothing to equip her for Gael Nevárez. As she walked through the office door, she wished there could have been something on Google to prepare her for this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His photo...to say it didn't do him justice was an understatement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first thing she noticed was, of course, his eyes. She'd always been a sucker for emotive eyes. Ones that show you exactly what the person is thinking or feeling in the moment. She had trouble with gauging other people's emotions sometimes, so if she could have a neon sign blaring at her what they're feeling, it helped her out tremendously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes looked like they were often happy. There were little crinkles at the edges constantly, they almost never seemed to disappear. And as they finally rose to meet her eyes when he noticed her enter the room, they got slightly bigger. Only for a second, she barely caught it, but she could only imagine what her eyes looked like as she ogled at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She cleared her throat and awkwardly looked away, walking over to take a seat in a chair across the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt his eyes follow her the entire way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she sat down in an uncomfortable metal chair next to another guy to whom she gave a small nod, she looked up and saw Gael was in the middle of a conversation with a girl that had short blonde hair. She was leaning against the large wooden desk he was sitting at, so close to him her leg was almost touching his.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked around the small office and noticed the posters on the walls, thankful she could recognize them as his past productions. The messy desk did make her OCD inwardly flinch a little though. At least half of the dozen piles of random papers scattered around the surface of the desk had coffee cups as paperweights. She didn't want to think about how many different types of bacteria were growing inside each cup. Behind the desk was a corkboard that had already been completely covered with quickly scribbled notes, photos of what she assumed to be potential actor's faces, clippings of newspaper articles talking about the upcoming show, sketches of multiple different set ideas...all of which was already piquing her interest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that moment, Arjun walked into the room with two other guys and she instantly relaxed. He shot his huge smile at her and headed over to sit with her while the guys went to talk to Gael and the blonde. He gave her a peck on the cheek as soon as he was sitting and she could tell he was so excited he might burst at any moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm so so so happy you were able to make it! Just seeing your face in this room feels right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt the same excitement, but was able to keep her cool better than he could. "Seriously, thank you for calling me about this. I'm so excited to see what the show is all about and find out if I'd be a good fit."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun rolled his eyes, "Oh you're a good fit, all right. You'll see soon enough."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Across the room, Gael cleared his throat and they looked over to him. She noticed the others had already taken seats around the room in other uncomfortable metal chairs. He got up from behind the desk he was sitting at and walked around to the front, leaning up against it and folding his arms. Everyone in the room went quiet at this apparent sign that he was ready to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue couldn't help but size him up, she was only human after all. He was a good bit taller than her and had the build of a guy that had to be on his feet all day with no time for regularly scheduled meals. She could see lean muscles under his perfectly fitted black t-shirt, the kind you get from having to help push heavy carts for the lighting technician or carry sheets of plywood for the set designer. The worn-in jeans he was wearing looked like they could possibly accentuate a very nice backside, in her professional opinion at least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael said, "we have a pretty busy day today with a lot to get through, so let's get started."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She realized she had spaced out while assessing his...wardrobe choices...and decided she needed to try and focus from now on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael quickly introduced Arjun and the other guys that came in with him as the director, Julian, and the other producer, Malik. "Some of you may know, we recently lost our head costume designer and need to fill the position quickly. The previous person hadn't been able to really start doing much as of yet, but now it is the last spot we need to fill before we can start production. The catch is that she was signed on to do design and then continue on as the wardrobe supervisor once the show was running. I know it's a lot, but it would be helpful if we could still fill both of those positions in this interview. The three of you," he pointed at the blonde, Blue, and the guy sitting next to her, "come highly recommended. You've all got the talent and experience to back it up."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun nudged her with his elbow, so she rewarded him with a smile and a wink.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael continued, "I have some ideas floating around in my head of what we are looking for in a designer, but first I wanted to give you a rundown of what the show will be about and a little bit of the plot." He ran his fingers through his almost black hair, trying to push it back from his eyes. His attempt was unsuccessful as some strands fell right back to their spot of framing his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue wondered if his hair was as soft as it looked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He started telling them the details they needed to know about the show, and every word that left his mouth was </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> pure genius. She couldn't believe it, but Arjun was right. His ideas were pushing boundaries, both creatively and socially. The story was so compelling and he knew it based on the smile he wore while he told it. At some point, Blue slowly turned to Arjun and gave him an astounded look. How did she even make it into this room? Sure, she knew she had worked her ass off to make it where she was with </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lie</span>
  </em>
  <span>, but this was starting to sound like the creative workout she felt like she had been missing. If she thought about it too hard she might feel like she wasn't ready to take this on, like she needed some more time to do a couple more shows before she was worthy of something like this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, she didn't think too hard about it and shoved those thoughts into a paper airplane and let them fly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There were so many ideas flowing into her head with every sentence Gael said about the show. She had to actively keep her mouth shut so she wouldn't interrupt him with her thoughts. Looking around at the other two candidates, she noticed they looked somewhat bored. She wondered if maybe they had heard the pitch before. The blonde seemed to know him based on how they were speaking when she walked in, so it's possible they already knew the show and this was all old news to them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Gael was finished with the details, he asked if they had any questions. The other two shrugged and Blue gaped openly at them. How could they not even think of one thing to say?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well I have a million questions, but first I have to know - where did the inspiration come from for this?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael smiled at her. A big genuine smile. Wow. If every question she asked procured a smile like that, she could almost suffer through the embarrassment of asking the actual million questions she had floating around in her head. It would be worth it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm glad you asked, Blue. A while ago, I had a family crisis that I needed to attend to. It was the most difficult and most raw moment of my life, and while I was visiting home I felt like I needed to get everything out of here," pointing to his head, "and onto paper. Like it would clear it away somehow and help me process everything. I had no clue it would turn into anything, but once I saw it written down it started to make sense and began to flow. I couldn't stop it once it started coming out of me. Now, four years later I've been able to convince a whole lot of people that this crazy idea is also a good idea." He chuckled and stood up away from the desk. He walked behind it and sat down in the chair again, grabbing a sheet of paper from inside a folder that had been sitting on top of a stack of other folders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So I need to interview you all separately to see each of your work styles and hear your thoughts and ideas. Carrie," he looked at the blonde, "can you go first while you guys wait outside for a bit? It won't take too long."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue nodded and stood up to leave while Arjun, the director, and the other producer stayed. As she walked out of the room she felt Gael's gaze again. It took her by surprise, he seemed genuinely intrigued by her and his eyes looked like he didn't want her to leave. She shook it off and did her special trick of not worrying about it. She would wait her turn and try to figure him out a little more when she could talk to him one on one.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It only took about twenty minutes each for Carrie and the guy who she found out was named Billy to speak with Gael and the team. When it was her turn her nerves had built up so much that she felt like she was buzzing audibly and was sure they would all hear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sat back down next to Arjun and waited. Gael was writing something down quickly and when he finished he closed the folder and looked up right at her and smiled that genuine smile again as she handed him her portfolio. He flipped through it as he spoke, "Blue, thanks for coming in today. I heard your show just finished and I know it's an extremely quick turnaround time, so I appreciate you being willing to work with us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not a problem at all! I actually get antsy if I have too much downtime, so I'd be pretty happy to jump right in if I end up being a good fit."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun rolled his eyes, making it very clear he felt she was indeed the best fit for the job.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael laughed at Arjun, "It's pretty obvious some of the team already thinks you should have been signed yesterday. I have to admit, I am familiar with your work on </span>
  <em>
    <span>To Tell A Lie. </span>
  </em>
  <span>What you did was subtly mind-blowing, if that makes sense? I mean, costumes are so critical for a good production, but it's not usually at the forefront of my mind. I mostly get caught up in the music and script, or feel drawn to an actor's performance. But I clearly remember thinking 'wow, these costumes are as vital to this play as any of the characters are' and I know I'm not the only one who thought that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue almost blushed at the compliment, but years in the business had taught her to accept it kindly and return the favor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's funny you say that, when I saw your last show I had almost the exact same experience. Of course, the costume design was great, and I loved the scenery...but the music was so sharp and purposeful. Amazing, really. It stuck with me for a long time and I probably told over twenty people to go see your show, so you can thank me later."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael laughed out loud this time and his eyes squinted from his large smile. "I had no idea we had you personally keeping the show afloat, thanks to your marketing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue shrugged, "it's not hard for me to talk incessantly about, well, anything really. But something that powerful? Try and stop me from telling everyone I know."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael thanked her again and got down to the business at hand. He asked her if she had pieces she could bring with her from past productions, and how much she would be willing to create new for the show. Typical questions about working well with others and being able to manage a team were unusually easy since she had Arjun literally sitting next to her to vouch for her. They went over the budget for the costume department and he asked how she was at accounting for the money spent. As a penny-pinching production manager, Arjun's favorite story to tell about Blue is when she was "creatively frugal" and had used Dollar Store placemats as fabric for a costume on a show they did together in college. Everyone raved about the quality of the textiles and what an amazing find it was. Little did they know, the entire piece cost about thirteen dollars to create.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love that you're willing to use anything and don't seem to be stifled by your creativity, but instead it seems to open up more options for you," Gael said while staring right into her eyes. She was not used to so many compliments coming from anyone other than Arjun, so it was getting more and more difficult to not blush. This business could be harsh; there's a lot of competition, and environments brimming with artists can lead to a lot of drama. He was so sincere though, and she was starting to feel pretty optimistic about landing this job.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After asking about the show in more detail, because she just honestly couldn't hold back her curiosity, Gael noticed the time and realized they had been talking for over forty minutes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wow, we should probably wrap up, I don't want to keep you any longer. Sorry for rambling," Gael apologized.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's fine, I seriously had nothing else to do today other than to be here. Well, I mean I did plan on going rock climbing, doing some yoga, and maybe even taking a pottery class before dinner. But I think I still have time for all that," Blue said in jest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael laughed, "oh yeah, you could probably even sneak some bowling in and then go for a bike ride too? Just to top it all off." He was joking, but Blue did think a bike ride might actually be nice and added it to her list of possible activities to keep her mind occupied for the rest of the day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael stood up and offered his hand to her as she turned to leave. She reached across the messy desk to shake it and felt a jolt when they touched, as though she was shocked by static electricity. "I am </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>glad to have met you today, Blue." The look on his face showed he meant it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why was she so affected by this guy? It felt like she was in middle school again and couldn't control her prefrontal cortex. She had to admit, his smoothness was charming in a way she did not expect herself to be attracted to. Normally her type was offbeat nerdy guys, with the occasional mishap of ending up with a boring narcissist. He seemed so authentic and charming, she wondered what was hiding underneath - the true Gael. Her nature was not to trust anyone so nice until she got to know them better, which she hoped that if this interview went well enough she'd have the opportunity to do just that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She promptly giggled at him like an actual school girl and her brain searched for something to say, like it always did in awkward situations. Fill the awkwardness with more awkwardness, that will help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Good to meet you too," was all she could muster. Wow. She turned to Arjun and muttered, "walk me out?" It was more of a command than a request; a plea that she needed rescuing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The look on Arjun's face was pure smugness: absolute bliss in what he just witnessed. She could already imagine what he would have to say as though she could literally hear his thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael thanked her one more time as she was walking out the door of the office and offered, "we will definitely be making our decision by tonight and letting you know ASAP since we are on such a tight schedule. I'll call you, if that's okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue told him that was great when truthfully it was not great because she only became more nervous about the impending call, even more nervous than she was earlier about this interview. She forced Arjun out the door with her and shot him a look that told him to '</span>
  <em>
    <span>keep quiet until we are outside</span>
  </em>
  <span>'.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they burst through the doors onto the corner of 49th and 8th, Arjun let out a scream that scared the passersby. Blue looked at them apologetically and then turned to him. "Did what I think just happened, really happen?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without holding back, he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in for a tight embrace. "My girl Blue, you just got the job and a guy all in one hour!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't you dare get my hopes up, Arjun!" She glared at him with her hands on her hips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean, I'm not the only one that saw the way he was looking at you-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my God, no! I meant the job! Geez. I'm not looking for a relationship right now, you know how it is. There's no time during production," she suddenly froze and nervously put her hand on her forehead. "So I didn't just imagine all of that? He really was acting like he was into me?" </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wondered if she had been as obvious about his effect on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There's no way you didn't notice the way he looked at you. And let me tell you, I've not seen him that excited to talk to anyone in a while. Lately, he's either stressed or preoccupied - rightfully so during this insanely busy time - but no one has seen that version of Gael in months."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay fine," she relented, "but I feel like I didn't handle it very smoothly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Girl, leave the smoothness up to him. I think he has it covered." Arjun said with a dreamy look in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue huffed and said she needed to get going before she drove herself crazy overthinking. A good distraction was needed so she could not think about what happened or the phone call that was coming later. They said their goodbyes and he headed back inside to delegate with the team and, as subtly as Arjun was capable of, fight for Blue to be hired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took the subway to the best place to erase all her worries and get out of her head for a while: Namaste Yoga Studio. Her monthly membership fees meant she could keep a mat and a change of clothes in the lockers there so she didn't have to make any stops and was able to head right there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She changed into her black leggings and burnt orange tank top, leaving her shoes off since she preferred doing yoga barefoot, it felt more natural to her. For her, this was a spiritual practice that just so happened to have a physical element to it. While rolling out her mat, she noticed she had a few minutes before the next class started, so she just sat and did some breathing exercises to pass the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her mom was the one that taught her how to breathe the anxiety away. She taught yoga at a studio in Austin in the 1990s and felt it was important that Blue practiced from a young age, so she started teaching her as soon as she could walk. As a kid she was bossy and bold, no one that didn't know her well would have expected the anxious thoughts that could fill her mind from time to time. She often would worry about things that seemed impossible. She felt it was her job to protect those around her and that if she didn't do it, no one would.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And when she was 13, those seemingly impossible dangers became her reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A clear soothing voice echoed from the front of the class just in time for Blue to crawl out of the emotional hole she almost fell into. She was grateful; after all, this was supposed to be a time to get out of her head and into her body. The tall and lean teacher named Mira instructed everyone with her musical voice to begin in mountain pose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"As you stand firmly planted to the earth in </span>
  <em>
    <span>tadasana</span>
  </em>
  <span>, breathe all of the darkness and negative energy out of your body. Imagine it leaving you as you push the air from your lungs. As you inhale, bring the light and goodness of this world into you. Let it fill you with warmth and peace with every expansion of your chest and abdomen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue could feel the stress melting away with every breath. Each pose helped her move the worry out of her body and let the calmness settle there instead. By the end of the class, she had forgotten the worries she had about what happened with Gael and the uncertainty of getting the job that she realized she wanted pretty bad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She left the studio refreshed and decided to get some groceries since she was near one of her favorite shops. Plus, it would help the time pass until tonight when she would be getting a phone call-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just then her phone rang. The streets were loud but she checked to see who it was just in case it was important.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>*Century Theater</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She wasn't prepared for the call to happen so soon. She quickly switched her brain into professional mode and took a deep breath, secretly allowing herself to hope for good news. That yoga session really did the trick of calming her nerves, apparently. She wanted to come across as confident this time and made sure there was no room for unprofessional awkwardness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hello?" She said into her phone, covering her mouth a little with her hand so the street noises would be muffled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey Blue, it's Gael. Sorry to call you so quickly after you just left."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No no, it's totally fine. I'm not busy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Great! So we intended to talk it over for a while and make sure we did our due diligence in choosing a costume designer. But honestly..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue tensed up a little, obviously she should have been preparing for bad news instead. Hopefully, he let her down gently, although he seemed gentlemanly enough that she assumed he would try to be as nice about it as possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...we didn't feel like we needed to waste all that time going over what we all basically knew from the start. We would love to sign you on as the costume designer for our show and, if you'll agree, to possibly keep you on as wardrobe supervisor for the full duration of the show while it's playing. If you need time to think about it, that's perfectly fine, we just would love to know for sure by this evening so we can -"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes!" Blue basically shouted into the phone. Great. Super professional. "I'm honored the whole team agrees I'm right for the show and I'd be more than happy to work with y'all"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael laughed breathily into the phone and asked, "y'all? I could tell you weren't from New York, but I didn't guess the south."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yep, Texan - born and raised. My accent disappeared mostly, unless you get some drinks in me or I get real tired. Then it starts popping up like a prairie dog scanning the horizon."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm well I can't wait to see you into either of those situations and hear this accent for myself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sauciness of this guy was actually impressive. She felt challenged, like he wanted her to match his caliber, if she dared. So, in the most unwavering tone she could muster, she replied, "you outta hear the things that come out of my mouth when I'm in an even more compromising position."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She heard the unmistakable sputter of coffee exiting his mouth at light speed. A small cough turned into a nervous laugh and he said he better go tell the others she had accepted the job and warn them about her accent that could show up at any moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, that actually was the key: he was used to being forward but wasn't used to being on the receiving end. Blue said goodbye and tucked that knowledge away for future use, just in case that might come in handy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun had been texting her nonstop, even though she knew he was probably in meetings for the rest of the day. He promised to call and properly go over the meeting details of when they decided to sign her on, and gushed about how excited he was to work with her again. He held back and only mentioned the '</span>
  <em>
    <span>sexy genius</span>
  </em>
  <span>' a few times, including how frazzled he seemed when he returned from making the call to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Success.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was determined to stay as professional as possible with Gael, while still throwing every bit of flirtation he dolled out right back at him. She had no intention of doing anything more than making sure she did her job well and enjoyed every second of it. She needed this, not only financially since her last show was closing, but she had been longing to stretch her creative wings for a while now and Gael's show was sure to give her the expanse to do just that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was done grocery shopping and was sitting on the subway with her giant brown paper bag crinkling more in her lap with every bump the subway car hit. Due to the excitement of her day, she over-shopped a bit and the heavy bag was threatening to burst and spill its sugary contents all over the floor of the train. She carefully made her way up to street level when she got to her stop and navigated the two blocks to her apartment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she walked in, obviously struggling, George ran over to her with his hands out ready to catch anything she might lose in her battle with the bag.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Miss Blue, what in the world are you thinking trying to pack all of these," he peeked into the bag and saw three different types of cookies, "uh...groceries...into one paper bag?" George reprimanded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How was I to know these cheap bags can't handle my sustenance choices?? They don't make them like they used to, George."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed and grabbed the bag from her, taking it over to the counter that he normally sat behind. Using the tape from his drawer, he patched the two most threatening holes and informed her she should be able to make it to her apartment now without losing her well balanced and healthy meals. The emphasis on the '</span>
  <em>
    <span>healthy</span>
  </em>
  <span>' was not lost on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks, George, you're a lifesaver. What would I do without you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Honestly, I don't want to think about that. It probably would involve some sort of sugar overdose though, if I had to guess," he pretended to be solemn and shook his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue thanked him for the tape and swore she would be more conscious of her sugar intake from now on. Maybe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once she reached her apartment and was finally able to curl up with Molly on the couch to watch Netflix while having a bite of each treat she just bought herself, she let the day settle in her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She did it. She was going to work with Arjun again, possibly create something really big together. Hopefully, they could actualize Gael's genius and bring it all together. Knowing he wrote, composed, is producing, and will be starring in the show was actually comforting. It meant he was 100% dedicated and that he believed in what he was making. It made it a lot easier to give yourself completely to a cause when the leader was so compelling and committed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her phone started buzzing next to her on the couch and she saw Arjun's face appear on the screen. She answered quickly and immediately was launched into the details of the meeting about her that she missed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, so he started out talking about all three candidates, how they all were impressive, blah blah blah, niceties that he had to say to not be obvious. The other guys brought up Billy first and decided quickly he was a huge no, not risky enough for this show. Carrie was basically not even an option because her interview was so terrible, I am pretty sure there's bad history between them, but haven't gathered enough intel to corroborate that claim just yet..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue almost felt the tiniest little spark of jealousy...almost. Who knows if that's even true, but Arjun had a pretty good eye when it came to this stuff. She wondered why she even cared? This thought shouldn't have even entered into existence. She told her brain to stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...so that led to you, of course. When we started talking about you I swear he lit up like a Caribbean sunrise. He became more animated and his hands started flying around. He went on about how he loved your previous work and really felt like you could bring something to the show that was innovative, etcetera...basically saying '</span>
  <em>
    <span>she's amazing and she gets my vote so I dare any of you to defy me</span>
  </em>
  <span>' which no one did, obviously."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Arjun, I highly doubt he cares that much. I'm not saying my role isn't important, but showrunners don't usually have that much to say about the costume designer. We are important, but not generally well revered."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm, you're right. Maybe there's some other random reason why he would be so adamant about signing you on for the job? I don't even know, what could that be?" he feigned ignorance while getting his point across very clearly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And with that, I say goodnight,” she laughed. “Thanks again for today, I wouldn't have been there if you didn't think of me for the job and put my name in the hat. You're a better friend than any girl could ever hope for."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aww, you're going to make me cry!" She knew the best way to get him off the topic of Gael's interest in her was to shift gears into praising him. He never could resist a mushy heartfelt thank you. "Get some rest, my girl, because in only a few days we are going to be starting a journey that will take every bit of energy you have in that tiny little body of yours."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't worry, I think I'm up for it. Just make sure you can keep up with me," she teased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After she hung up, she unpaused her show and resumed taste-testing each of her treats to decide on which one she would devour completely that night. Molly purred as a request to be petted, and her soft fur made her think of how soft Gael's dark hair had looked. She wondered what it felt like to run her hands through his hair like he had a few times that morning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widened. Staying professional was going to be more difficult than she thought.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Later in the week, Blue got a copy of the full script to start reading over. She whirled through it the first time so fast she didn't think she was actually at the end when she reached the last page. Immediately, she started over at the beginning and was able to go slower this time and start making notes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The show was set during the Civil War - she was excited about historical period costumes - but Gael had specifically mentioned an ethnically diverse cast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Genius.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He planned on expanding their theatrical colleague's minds and showing them that casting only depended on talent, not pigment. Further than that, he would speak to the audiences by visually representing in his show what the world </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> looked like.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, and the music was hip-hop inspired.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue could finally understand what he meant when he said he had to convince people that his crazy idea was a good idea. It was a risky script, but if they could pull it off it would not only work well but have the potential to be big. It could shift the world of theater forever, change people's mindsets, and have them leave their baggage forever at the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael had been texting in a group chat with all the heads of departments, giving details about upcoming meetings and constantly asking if anyone needed anything. Blue had decided to head to one of her favorite places in the world, the New York Public Library.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her little library in Texas had never let her down when she was growing up, reading her way through life. When she had a question, it had an answer. Even walking through the doors of a library she'd never been in before gave her a sense of comfort that she could find whatever she needed, even before she knew what it was she needed. So, the first time she visited the library in New York City, she almost fainted. It was like walking into a European medieval castle, complete with statues and murals delicately painted on the walls. When she had accidentally wandered into the Rose Room for the first time, her jaw actually dropped in awe. The room was nearly the length of a football field and filled with row after row of long wooden tables that almost gave away how heavy they were just by looking at them. The fifty-foot high ceilings and arched windows gave the dark wooden room the light it needed. When the darkness and light mixed together, it made magic. Being surrounded by books on every wall, made even more magic. The smell of old books and old wood mixing in the air...magic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, one morning she decided to update the group and say she was headed to the library to start research. What she didn't expect was for Gael to immediately send her a private text and ask if she minded if he joined her. He had been texting her pretty often, updating her on the costume shop remodel, and answering questions she had about the storyline to help her start brainstorming costumes. Even though he had been just as nice and slightly flirtatious via text, she hadn't expected him to text her that. Although she normally researched alone, she didn't mind him coming along since she was the second hired costume designer and he probably already had some ideas that he had been brewing with the designer before her. She would rather implement them now instead of going down a path and find out later that he had other ideas. She texted him back that it would be great if he could meet her there and be prepared to carry lots of heavy books for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He said he would love to do nothing more than carry her books for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she stood outside of the library's doors waiting under the arches for Gael, she wondered if this was actually such a good idea. Her first time alone with someone that was technically kind of her boss would be inside a place that normally made her feel pretty vulnerable. It was a place where she let her guard down and allowed herself to be fully immersed in the research.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before she had time to change her mind, she noticed him bounding up the steps towards her. He had sunglasses on and his hair was in a man-bun today.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn't believe he could actually pull that off, but he did very </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His vintage Beatles t-shirt had frayed edges from being worn so many times - he probably knew how good it looked on him - and his dark jeans fit perfectly, yet again. She was reminded of her earlier question about how well they fit in the back, but tried to shove that thought out of her mind because he was saying hello.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't believe you actually beat me here, no one is ever earlier than me to a meeting!" Gael exclaimed while throwing his empty coffee away in the nearest trash can.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah well this ain't a meeting, Gael, this is an experience." She smiled at him and put her hands on her hips. "Some ground rules before we go inside this most glorious place on earth: don't question my book choices, don't question how many books I need, and don't interrupt me if I am deep in a book, lest you stop the genius at work. Got it?" she raised one eyebrow to show she expected a fully committed response. He didn't let her down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Si, mi capitana</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I swear to abide by all the rules and make sure your library time is fully productive today. Can we go in now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue pretended to ponder his worthiness with her hand on her chin, then finally nodded her head. "You have been deemed worthy to enter," and she waved him on. He bowed then turned around to walk toward the doors and she finally got an answer to her previous question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The jeans did, in fact, fit him very well in the back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he walked away her eyebrows raised slightly as she took in the sight before her. She didn't even think she had ever truly checked out a guy's ass, until now. The curve was subtle, yet perfect. She said a silent thank you to whoever designed those jeans and decided to find out the brand, for professional reasons of course. She now had a new question about the firmness-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stop. Focus. Be professional.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He opened the door and held it for her as she walked through and thanked him. As soon as they entered he immediately turned right and went towards the shop where they sold coffee. She wasn't sure if he had a sixth sense that could find coffee anywhere, or if he was familiar enough with the library to know where to get the coffee at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Did you know that when it opened in 1911 the library had already shelved over one million books, ready for the public to read?" he asked as he got in line for the coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Astonished, she had her answer that he was obviously familiar with the library. She responded, "yes, and close to fifty thousand people visited that day. Can you imagine?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shook his head. "I get overwhelmed seeing that many people attend a football game in the 21st century, I can't imagine seeing that many people gather in 1911. It had to be such a sight for the founders and workers to see, I bet they never felt prouder than that day."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cashier asked what he could get for them and he ordered a black coffee for himself and another one with cream and extra sugar for her, without even asking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How did you know how I take my coffee?" she asked as the guy started making them, stunned he guessed the extra sugar part correctly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah, it's a special gift I have. I can guess anyone's coffee order just by looking at them. I'm sort of a coffee enthusiast, my family has always been into it, but mostly I think it comes from my days as an intern. Once you order over a thousand coffees you start to notice a trend."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed and thanked him for the coffee, "this is actually pretty good. Normally I just drink store brand grounds made in my ten-dollar coffee maker at home."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stopped walking abruptly, unable to move after hearing such a statement. "Oh my God. That's honestly the saddest thing I've ever heard anyone say in reference to coffee."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shrugged her shoulders and smiled, "I don't really care how I get my caffeine, as long as it's sickeningly sweet and gives me heart palpitations, I know it's doing its job!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed and shook his head in disbelief at her as they headed up the stairs to their right. She had already reserved a computer and headed towards her favorite spot to research. It was in a corner on the second floor that was secluded enough that she felt like she could really focus without being interrupted. As they sat down at the computer, he leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee, causing his shirt to lift ever so slightly; Blue could see a bit of his flat stomach and the tiniest bit of hair that grew there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was then very confident that her library trip was going to be full of nothing but interruptions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll start putting in the requests for the books I already know I want,” she said, trying to focus on the task at hand, ”then we can start discussing the show and see if any more books pop up that I might want to request." Gael nodded and took his phone out of his pocket. While she typed on the old computer keyboard, he sat next to her and tapped away on his phone, probably answering emails from vendors for the upcoming orders the set designer was preparing to make. Every time he looked up from his phone she could feel his eyes on her, watching her fingers and staring at the side of her face. She finally decided to look over at him, frustrated at the computer for running so slow, and caught his eyes staring straight into her own. He lingered for a second too long, then smiled and said, "you are so cute trying to battle with an ancient desktop computer, it’s impossible to win."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was blown away by his forwardness. He just said she was cute. Out loud. She wasn't sure about New York, but in Texas, guys didn't go around calling girls cute unless they meant something else. She knew plenty of guys growing up who were always more openly flirtatious and it came off naturally, like it was part of their DNA. But this was way more than she was used to and it kept throwing off her guard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remembering her determination to stay professional, yet project any flirtation right back at him without backing down, she shrugged and simply said, "thanks," with a mischievous smile on her lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The look of shock he let slip onto his face at her confidence was enough to make her bold enough to add, "you're not going to think it’s cute when you see the list of books you're about to have to carry for me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed out loud, which brought on an evil look from the librarian sitting behind her desk across the room. She even cleared her throat, which was basically as good as her saying, 'strike one'.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't take his eyes off Blue the entire time and ignored the librarian stating, "I already told you, I'm more than happy to carry your books anytime, </span>
  <em>
    <span>mi Azul</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Damn. That smooth Spanish nickname he gave her made her heart actually skip a beat. People say that all the time and she didn't think it was a real thing, but it happened. She felt it actually stop for at least two seconds before it began to beat again quickly enough to catch up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The proud look on his face made her think he knew exactly the effect it had on her. She wondered how many other nicknames he had for how many other girls; she was getting tired of how affected she was by him and decided she either needed to step up her retaliation game a notch, or give up and let him win.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How did she end up in this game anyway? What was he trying to get at with this exchange? There's no way he was attracted to her in the way she was to him. He had plenty of actresses that were probably throwing themselves at him daily, so it's not like he needed the ego boost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If she decided to step up her flirting game then she ran the risk of looking like a fool if he thought she was taking it more seriously than he was. But, if she gave up and let him win then...well...he would win. And she couldn't have that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stood up to go collect the requested research books, but before he could stand up too she leaned over next to him to grab her purse that she had put on the floor by their chairs. Her wavy brown hair slid over her shoulder and fell right in front of his face. She swore she could hear him inhale, which made her very grateful she actually woke up early that morning so she could wash it with her hibiscus shampoo.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned to look at him and was only inches from his face. His eyes seemed darker, as if that was somehow possible, and there was a small crease between them from where his brow was furrowing. His face had completely changed from the nonchalant look he always wore to something that resembled surprise. But his eyes...they were the window into his thoughts and she could easily read them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was actually attracted to her. For real. He wasn't just messing with her. He obviously felt something, whether it was sincere or just biological she didn't know. But it was there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her plan had backfired and now she had no clue what to do. So she did the only thing her brain was capable of - this was a fight or flight situation and her legs started moving before she even knew where she was headed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Flight won out, apparently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He jumped up behind her and caught up to her by the time she was walking out of the room and back into the atrium where the stairs were. In the few seconds of running away, she had enough time to think of something to say. She looked over to him as he came alongside her after tossing their empty coffees in the trash and unflinchingly said, "come on, it's time to put those muscles to the test and collect my books."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After waiting for all the books she had requested, they started pouring over every page in her beloved Room 315, the Rose Main Reading Room. Just seeing the neatly organized rows of thick oak tables calmed her down as she walked in, Gael in tow carrying all her heavy books. The perfectly spaced bronze lamps on each table made her feel regulated and ready to work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was visually driven, so seeing the drawings and photos of historically accurate garments in the 1860s in front of her really got the creativity flowing. They discussed the characters in great detail and he was able to provide a lot of backstory for each one. Every idea he had, she had another idea to make it even better. Their excitement was growing; she had expected it would be great to work with him, but never thought it would be this easy. Their minds were simultaneously working on the same wavelength, but still different enough to build off each other. It was like being two pieces of a puzzle, both having their separate ideas but seamlessly fitting together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had made some notes while reading the script and was able to go over them with him. She loved translating someone's vision right in front of them and relished in his delight as she began quickly sketching rough versions of their ideas.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A couple of hours later, he interrupted one of her sketches and leaned into her to say, "you truly are the perfect person for this show. I knew when you walked in that there was some kind of connection, that we would be able to work together well. But sitting in this library today I can see that you not only will be able to do the job, but make the entire production better. Seriously, thank you for this," he waved at the mountain of books they had piled in front of them, "it means a lot to know that something I've poured my soul into is being taken care of by someone who unmistakably cares too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She didn't know what to say. Yet again. Why did she always have to flounder around when emotions were involved? She tried to take a second to think before she spoke, but that never worked before, so she just let it all blurt out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think you might be a genius."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiled and rolled his eyes, sitting back in his chair. He nervously ran his hand through the hair that had started to fall out of his man-bun, while leaving one hand resting on a book he had just been browsing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No seriously, when Arjun told me about the show it sounded interesting and definitely came at the right time for me, but his excitement about it is what drew me in. And I knew it must be something special to make him act so brash as to offer my name up for the job. But when I read the script, I couldn't believe the words on the page. You are so good at conveying exactly what you mean to say in the most abstract way possible. I loved that it made me think, I had to focus completely on what was happening, and in today's world of quick entertainment that is a rare thing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she stopped talking, she could see in his eyes that apparently he had needed to hear that. Not knowing the reason why, but realizing he must have been feeling somewhat uncertain lately, she decided to reach out and put her hand on his. Not meaning anything but to comfort him, she hoped she didn't just throw herself out there and get stuck drowning in vulnerability with no life vest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stared at their hands for a bit, then looked up at her and stared straight into her eyes. Leaning in towards her again he whispered so only she could hear, "I don't know how you do it, but when you say things like that I believe it more than when anyone else tells me. With production starting soon I really needed to hear that. I didn't know I did, but thank you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took a deep breath and slipped right back into her</span>
  <em>
    <span> cover-emotions-with-humor</span>
  </em>
  <span> trick, "well don't get used to it buttercup, I'm only being nice because you carried thirteen books around the library for me. Bump that number up to twenty and next time you might even get a handwritten card to go along with those compliments."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael let loose his booming laugh yet again, and wouldn't you know that same exact librarian just happened to be walking by collecting books. The look on her face this time said, 'this is both strike two AND three'.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before she could actually reprimand them verbally, Blue stood up and started collecting all the loose papers, putting them back inside her leather-bound notebook. Gael, still chuckling, started stacking the books.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue decided to check out a couple of the books that were allowed to leave the library so she could have them at home as references over the next few weeks, just in case. On their way out Gael said, "thanks for letting me tag along and for being so dedicated to your work."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Brushing off his compliments again, Blue said, "text if you think of any other ideas, and I will do the same. I think we got off to an amazing start today, so far I guess we make a pretty great team."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The rain didn't let up over the next few days, setting the mood for Blue to stay home, drink tea, and work on her sketches. Using the rough versions she made in the library, she wanted to start working on the final products she would present during the first production meeting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Digging around in the crowded drawer of her art table that resides in front of the window in the living room, she finally found what she needed: her beloved tools. She would use many tools along this process, but the first ones she would need would be her pencils, fine black pens, and watercolors. While carefully sharpening her pencils, the tempo of the wood scraping against the blade blended with the drumming of the rain against the window to make a soothing rhythm that instantly calmed her. Placing them gently in a cup on the desk so as not to break the freshly sharpened tips, she then opened her watercolors and smiled at the sight of them. All the bright little squares perfectly aligned, colors all from the most beautiful rainbow you could imagine. She felt the tips of the paintbrushes to make sure they were still good, it had been a while since she used them last. Most of the time they were used for work, for exactly this process of fleshing out designs, but occasionally she would get the "paint bug" as her dad called it and need to create something just for herself. She had even framed a couple of her favorite pieces and given them away as presents. They were especially popular as baby shower gifts, a small fluffy bunny wearing glasses being her most recent gift. It was based on a painting her dad had made for her room while her mom was still pregnant. They hung it above the crib the week before she was born, the smart little bunny ready to guard it's baby once she finally arrived. She felt like all babies needed a smart bunny to watch over them, so it was her most common baby shower gift.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Closing the channels of the emotions that threatened to overflow, she opened her notebook and focused on the task at hand instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even when she sat down to work on designs, she made herself draw for pleasure first. It helped start the spark of inspiration and focus her mind on the work in front of her. She closed her eyes for a second and thought about what would energize her. Letting her mind wander, it was almost a form of meditation. If she got off track, she would just gently nudge her thoughts back in and let them start to form. She grabbed one of her black pens and began to move her hand over the thick paper. Not exactly sure where she was going, she let her pen guide her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first lines were heavy as she pulled the pen down towards the bottom of the paper. Starting back at the top of the lines, she pulled in opposite directions on either side. Slowly a figure began to emerge. Her pen moved quickly on some areas, and slowly on others. The calming sound of the pen scratching on her paper put her into a sort of trance. She dropped that pen and grabbed one of the finer brushes, dipping it into the gray square and swirling it around. She splashed the shades around where her mind's eye said they needed to be, making some blotches darker and some barely visible they were so light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, she laid the brush down and closed her eyes again for just a second, waking up from her spell. As she looked down at the paper in front of her, it hit her like a ton of bricks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had sketched the back of a shirtless male figure running his hands through his hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seriously?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She just sat and stared at it for a solid five minutes, half impressed with how realistic her shading looked and half-embarrassed by what was obviously running through her mind when she let it run free.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grabbing the paper and ready to crumple it, she decided to instead put it in one of her folders that held other random pieces she didn't feel like she could give away at baby showers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stood up and walked to the kitchen to grab a snack to try and erase what just happened from her mind, even if she couldn't erase it from that paper. Molly woke up immediately and leapt from the couch to follow her; if she was headed to the kitchen, there was a good chance it might be treat time. Why else would her human walk in that direction if it wasn't to give her some well-deserved treats?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue sat back down at her desk with a bag of peanut M&amp;M's while Molly sat behind her on the couch cleaning her face and paws, thanks to the delicious treats she just gobbled up. Not only had her normal method for beginning to sketch not helped, but it had completely thrown her off her game now. Either she would have to stop the process and try another time, or push forward to see if, although the subject was humiliating, the method still actually worked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Being as stubborn as she was, she chose to just push forward. Deciding that she would start with the main character named John, the one Gael would be playing, she dug out her preliminary sketches for him. She figured if she was going to draw him anyway, it might as well be useful for something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sketched through the night, making multiple drafts of each main character and crumpling the old ones to toss into the trash. She narrowed it down to the versions that felt perfect by around 4:00 am and finally crashed. Laying in bed with Molly dutifully purring at her feet, she decided she could re-check her work when she woke up and make sure her delirious decisions held up. She worked best late at night, she'd always been a night owl just like both her parents. The photo on her bedside table was like a beacon calling to her in the dark and quiet room. After exhausting herself creatively, she didn't have the energy to guard herself against the emotions that came on like a wave. Looking at their faces she felt angry and hurt and heavy and broken all at the same time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just like she had the day she was told she had lost them forever.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She was only thirteen, most girls that age are worried about what color to paint their nails or which boy they wanted to go to the school dance with. But on a cold day in February, only a week before the Valentine's Day dance, her teacher got a note from the principal delivered to her classroom. She called Blue's name out and instructed her to head to the office, adding that she wasn't in trouble but they needed to speak to her.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She headed down the hall with a slight worry in her chest about what they could possibly want to talk to her about, but remembered that her teacher said she definitely wasn't in trouble. It couldn't be that bad...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>When she got to the office she saw Aunt Millie standing there which took her by surprise. Was she there for a surprise visit? Was she about to be whisked away on some secret adventure? She smiled at Aunt Millie, but when the older woman didn't return the smile, that's when she noticed the tear stains from her mascara on her aunt's cheeks.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue shook herself out of the memory, she had gone too deep and felt the pull of melancholy. She jumped out of bed and ran to the bathroom for a drink. After she gulped the ice-cold water down she slammed the cup onto the counter and stared at herself in the mirror, "get your shit together, Everson."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Turning on her heel, she ran back down the hall and jumped into the safety of her bed, making sure to face the opposite direction of the photo, and stared instead out the window at the twinkling lights of the city. Molly snorted at her in disapproval for disturbing her slumber, then stretched and curled back up into an even tighter ball.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue closed her eyes and tried to think of another face, anything other than Aunt Millie's heartbroken eyes. Instead, she thought of a face that had happy eyes with little crinkles on the edges when he smiled at her. She didn't have the emotional capacity to feel ashamed of thinking of Gael's smile instead of counting sheep to help her fall asleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next morning she was exhausted beyond words. The creative and emotional drain last night had taken its toll, and she wasn't ready to face the day. Checking her phone, she saw it was already almost noon which meant she had a meeting with her assistant in only two hours. Her stomach rumbled like a stampede of cattle in her belly and she realized she missed breakfast. The thought of food was bribery enough to drag herself out of bed, though just barely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a hot shower and an everything bagel, she poured her remaining coffee into a travel mug and grabbed her bag with her notebook inside. She quickly glanced at them again to make sure she still stood by her decisions, then put on her boots and headed out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she came back in, grabbed her coffee that she left on the counter, and headed back out again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she arrived at the Century Theater, she realized she actually had no idea where in the building she was supposed to be. Entering through the side door, she only knew the first door on her right was Gael's office. Reluctantly, she decided she would ask him to show her to the costume shop. She hadn't even had time to get an official tour of the place yet since she was signed on so late, so she felt it wasn't odd for her to ask him to show her around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She knocked lightly on his somewhat open door before stepping in. The sight of Carrie took her by surprise, but not as much as the sight of Gael looking visibly upset. She hadn't seen him like this before, and it was truly a sight to behold the fire in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As long as you weren't the one on the receiving end of that fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up at her as she stood awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of what to do since she had obviously just interrupted something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were meeting with anyone. The door was open so I assumed -"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's fine Blue, come in. Carrie was just leaving," he said very pointedly while shooting Carrie a look that said his word was final.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carrie just literally said the word "ugh" and Blue could tell she was not happy to be cut short on their discussion. She obviously thought she was getting somewhere with Gael on whatever they were talking about, but even Blue could tell from his eyes that he was done. She turned and walked towards Blue in the doorway mumbling, "congrats on the job," then pushed past her without so much as a second glance. Blue stepped inside the office finally and whistled, eyebrows raised high enough to wrinkle her forehead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Phew! I don't know what you did to piss her off, but I'm glad I saved you before she literally started to chew your head off."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael ran his hand through his hair and sighed. He finally smiled up at her and joked, "you're right, how will I ever repay you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well you can start by showing me to the costume shop. I figured I could find it on my own, but it might take less time if someone that actually knows this place just showed it to me. Arjun is out running errands, so you're it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael frowned, "you haven't been given a tour yet? How did I forget that!" He hopped up immediately and shoved his phone in his back pocket. A few papers fell off his cluttered desk in the process and he quickly threw them back on top of a pile of folders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No it's totally fine, I'm sure it's the last thing on your to-do list and I haven't needed it until now. It's really okay, I can find it on my own if you're too busy?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There is literally nothing in this world I want more right now than to leave this God-forsaken office and give a beautiful woman a tour of our beautiful theater."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There he went again. She'd now graduated from cute to beautiful. Before she knew it, she would be stunning or maybe even ravishing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay fine, and if we find my assistant Kiara you can introduce us, seeing as I have no idea what she even looks like to try and find her. We have emailed a few times, but I have yet to meet her in person."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael nodded and started walking towards the door. He noticed her bag with the notebook in it and excitedly asked, "wait, is that the final sketches?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue started shaking her head, "no no no, you're not allowed to see anything until I meet with Kiara and make sure we don't want any changes. Sorry, not sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael feigned indignation and told her she was such a tease.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh darlin' you haven't seen nothin' yet," she drawled out with just the slightest hint of her Texan accent for his amusement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She expected to hear his booming laugh again, and wasn't disappointed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked out of his office and turned right to head down the rest of the hallway. They passed offices for the director, choreographer, music director, accounting and front of house manager. The last office was empty so it was used as a sort of break room instead. There were some old wooden folding tables that had mismatched chairs around them, which no one decided to push in once they were done, and there was a fridge and a stove jammed on either side of a green laminate counter. Completely out of place next to a twenty-year-old microwave sat a small shiny espresso machine.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Of course he had an espresso machine in there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that they were at the end of the hall, they went through a doorway into a large open room that took up the other half of the building that the offices didn't occupy. This was where the set design happened, along with the storage of finished set pieces that would need to be changed out during a show. The first half of the room that they were currently standing in was full of power tools and sawdust. At the other end were the beginnings of some mock-ups that the prop master had already been working on. There was access to the wings of the stage from that end of the room, which is why the set pieces were stored down there. Out of nowhere, a disheveled man in his early fifties popped up from behind a workbench, wafting sawdust into the air all around him. He slammed a hammer down onto the cluttered surface of the workbench, sending yet another cloud of sawdust into the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Jin! Come here and meet our new costume designer, Blue Everson. Blue, meet Jin-Soo Baek our master carpenter. His wife Eliza does our set design, so she gets to boss Jin around and tell him how to build her sets."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And she enjoys every second of it," Jin jested as he strolled over to where they were standing, wiping his hands on his pants which only made them dirtier. He stuck his right hand out for Blue to shake anyways and she did, laughing at his joke.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You guys must have a relationship as strong as hickory to withstand being bossed around by your wife at work </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>at home," Blue quipped with a look of mock astonishment on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jin turned to Gael and said, "Ooh I like this one Gael, she knows her hardwoods. You better not run her off, woodworking knowledge comes in handy around here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue added, "yes sir, my dad was a trained carpenter and taught me everything I know. It's been years, but I bet I can still build a frame in under thirty minutes. That was his passion you see, building custom frames for all his paintings. The tables and chairs he made just paid the bills, but he'd spend weeks figuring out just the right frame for his latest masterpiece. He always said the frame was almost more important than the art."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I feel the exact same way. When my wife drags me to museums I couldn't tell you a single painting I've been forced to look at, but I can describe to you in detail at least twenty of the best frames that caught my eye," Jin agreed. "She thinks I'm insane and uncultured. She might be right, but don't let her know that!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh don't worry Jin, she already knows," Gael teased him and patted him on the shoulder. "We will get out of your way and let you get back to God knows what you were doing over there."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jin tipped an imaginary hat as a farewell and walked back into the mess he was making.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a staircase to their left and Gael mentioned her workspace was upstairs, but with a smile growing on his lips he asked her if she wanted to see the stage before they headed up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How could she resist his twinkling eyes, full of excitement?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They headed through the wings and onto the stage. Gael flipped a few switches on a box next to the curtain so that as they stepped out onto the stage the house was barely illuminated and a bright dramatic spotlight shined directly on them. She had no desire to be on stage in front of hundreds of people, but looking out at the empty seats she couldn't help but smile. It really was a great theater he had found for his show. The seats were a classic dark red, aptly representing the blood of the theater that they really were. If they could fill those seats, she knew they could make an impact with this show. And as people left their seats when the curtain fell, they would leave changed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She glanced over at Gael since he had gone quiet. It was as if she could actually see the wheels turning in his head as he stood downstage center, staring out into the darkness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's going to be great, you know." Blue tried to sound as sincere as possible, wanting to reverse the worry she could see brewing in his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael turned and looked at her, shocked that she could almost know what he was thinking before he did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you keep doing that? I know that I'm an achiever and normally people assume I'm overconfident. I have no idea why I come across that way, but that's what they see I guess. But you..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He walked towards her and she felt the space between them shrink. His head was blocking the spotlight from her vision and a halo of white light flowed around the edges of his silhouette. She wondered why he always had to get so close to her. It made her head start going fuzzy and she couldn't think as clearly, which meant she would probably be saying something embarrassing real soon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"...that's the second time you've seemed to know what I'm thinking," he continued, "even if I don't say anything. Especially if I'm stressing about something. How?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're eyes. They're a window, clear as day, right into your thoughts."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yep, there it was. Thanks to her fuzzy brain, embarrassing words were just falling out of her mouth right away. Didn't take any time at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stepped even closer, if that was possible, and stared into her eyes. She inhaled sharply in surprise and could smell the slightest hint of coffee mixed with vanilla and cedar. It was intoxicating. He didn't say anything for a few seconds then finally asked, "oh yeah, then what am I thinking now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked into his dark eyes, watched them glide over her face and land on her lips. She swore she could feel him inching closer to her face, but it was hard to tell with the spotlight shining so brightly behind him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It looks like you missed lunch and might need a sandwich?" Blue lied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael smiled, but it faded as quickly as it appeared. He sighed and said, "don't start charging money to tell fortunes just yet. Somehow you got that one completely wrong, </span>
  <em>
    <span>mi Azul,</span>
  </em>
  <span>" and he turned away from her to start walking back towards the wings of the stage. She forced a fake chuckle and followed after him. Staring from behind, she watched as he ran his hand through his hair then shoved it into the pocket of his hoodie. She knew exactly what he was thinking when he asked, but she didn't have the courage to say it out loud...so she lied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was thinking of kissing her. Right there on the stage. He must have been out of his mind; they barely knew each other and he was her boss, sort of. Those were two really good reasons to not even think about kissing a girl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue felt torn between wondering if he was sincere in his attraction to her, or if he was like this with all the girls. She didn't trust people quickly, it was just the way her brain was hardwired. Test them, test them again, then decide to trust or toss them out. But guys? They took even longer to trust. She, like most women in the entire existence of humankind, had at least a few run-ins with creeps, jerks, and downright sociopaths. One guy even started dating her a few years ago at the exact same time he started dating another girl. He never decided to mention it to either of them, figuring he'd try to see how long he could get away with it. Luckily he was a complete idiot so it only took about a month for Blue to figure it out and call the girl from his phone. They decided to walk into his work together and act like they didn't know each other, just to watch him sweat. The other girl finally started yelling at him and Blue had to basically drag her out of the office, kicking and screaming. She didn't drag too hard though, making sure there was enough time to let all his co-workers hear the girl's issues with his skills in bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue decided the only way to know for sure was to do what she always did: test him. Not in a cruel way, but just try to notice how he was around other girls, maybe bump up the flirting game even more. She had plenty of time to see who he truly was since they would be working together for the foreseeable future. And once she trusted someone, that was it. It wasn't easy to get there, but once she did she could easily throw herself in with someone and not look back. That didn't really solve the problem of him being her boss, but she couldn't deny her own attraction at this point and her curiosity was compelling her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They headed back off the stage through the wings and turned right to go towards the staircase they had passed earlier that took them up to the second floor. Upstairs, they ran right into a hallway with multiple dressing rooms for the actors, and at that end of the building was hair and makeup. They turned right and went past the audio and lighting offices, which were directly above the downstairs offices, until they finally came to the costume department. They were standing at the door of the room designated for working on the costumes and there was another at the end of the building for storing them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well, what do you think?" Gael asked hesitantly?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue looked around the room and stepped inside. "I think this will do just fine," and she gave him her biggest smile as a reward.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When Blue dreamed of being a costume designer as a young ignorant high schooler, she wasn't exactly sure what that would look like...but she knew whatever it was, she wanted it. Her imagination would run wild with images of an infinite amount of fabrics and textiles piled high to the ceiling of her workshop. There would be rows and rows of people at her command - cutting and stitching and bringing her ideas to life. All the tools and threads would be neatly organized and color-coded along the walls so everyone could easily find what they needed.</p><p>But real life wasn't as glamorous as her imagination.</p><p>Multiple times, Blue had used a sewing machine on the ground with her leg propped out to the side to push the pedal down. She had lost so many pins and needles that she was afraid to walk around without boots on just to protect her feet. She had personally napped on a pile of fabric at least half a dozen times.</p><p>Some of the productions she had worked on previously had a bigger budget than others, and those workshops were somewhat closer to her high school dreams. But in front of her now was a wonderfully blank canvas, ready for her to fill with the colors and textures of her choosing. Her word was final, if she wanted the ribbons organized not only by color but size as well, then so be it. The crisp white walls and floors had just been painted, she could still smell the slightest chemical odor in the air since there were no windows to ventilate the room. The bright fluorescent lights hummed overhead and illuminated the room perfectly so that every tiny stitch would be easily visible. There were three huge workbenches ready to draft patterns and cut fabric on. Lined up against the wall, an assortment of dress forms and mannequins stood at attention as if they were an army battalion awaiting their orders.</p><p>As she stepped further into the space, her daydreaming was interrupted by an extremely tall girl sitting at a table typing away furiously on her laptop. Her dark braids covered half of her face because she had to hunch over so far at the small table she was crammed at in the corner. She never even noticed when Blue and Gael entered the room because she was so engrossed in whatever was on her computer screen.</p><p>"Hey, Kiara I was hoping you would be in here," Gael interrupted her concentration which caused her to look up from the screen finally. "This is Blue Everson, our new costume designer."</p><p>Blue waved hello and said, "hey Kiara, nice to finally meet you! I've heard great things about you from Arjun, especially something about strawberry muffins that make you lose interest in all other baked goods and never want to eat anything else? I think those were his exact words," she chuckled as she remembered his compliment.</p><p>Kiara laughed and said, "oh yes strawberry muffins were my obsession two weeks ago, but I've conquered them and now I'm perfecting a blackberry tart." She stood up from the tiny desk and started walking over to them. "I think the ratio of flour to butter is almost optimal, once I figure it out I'll make sure to enlist you as a taste tester."</p><p>Blue nodded enthusiastically, "uh yeah anytime you want to throw baked goods in my direction, I'm game. I'd like to say I'm basically a professional sweets eater, so you can trust my tastebuds. I'm also not afraid to be brutally honest..."</p><p>"Thank God!" Kiara interrupted. "Gael literally says everything I make is great, which I know is statistically impossible." She gave him a knowing look and shook her head.</p><p>He laughed and shrugged, "I guess my sweet taste buds aren't as developed as Blue's apparently are. I'm more of a savory guy."</p><p>Blue's jaw dropped and she stared, unblinking. "I will hear no such sacrilege in my sacred workshop. This is a place to worship desserts and pastries! I have a feeling Kiara and I will be ingesting quite a few treats together while we work over the next few months."</p><p>Kiara seemed excited to have an experimental subject she could try out new recipes on. Blue seemed excited to have someone that wanted to give her desserts. Already, it was obvious they were going to be a good team.</p><p>Gael chatted with Kiara for a few minutes while Blue started unpacking her bag, laying out her notebook and all her tools she brought from home onto one of the workbenches. Here was her first chance to test her theory and see how he interacted with another girl, one that was clearly good looking and smart based on the two minutes she had known her.</p><p>He stood at least three feet away from Kiara and leaned up against the wall right behind where Blue unpacked her things. He was definitely comfortable talking with her, but there was something different about it. Kiara cracked a joke and he did the quick<em> blow-air-out-of-nostrils </em>laugh, nothing compared to his normal booming laugh she had begun to look forward to hearing. It was all business, no flirty double entendres or Spanish nicknames.</p><p>Well great.</p><p>According to the scientific method, she just tested her hypothesis with an experiment and should be able to move forward to the next step, but Blue was too stubborn for that and still needed to test him a few more times. Because, science.</p><p>Gael's ringtone interrupted her analysis, "shit, I have to take this. I think you guys are supposed to go over these super-secret sketches Blue has hidden from me anyway, so I'll leave you guys alone."</p><p>Gael waved goodbye at Kiara as he began to walk towards the door. He glanced back at Blue, mostly because he couldn't help himself, and smiled as though he wanted to say something, but didn't.</p><p>Based on how desperately she wanted to know what he would have said, she relented to herself it might actually be time to move on to the next step.</p><p>————</p><p>Kiara and Blue began working right away since the tour of the theater cut into their meeting time a bit. At first, they talked about their work styles and what they had in common versus what they could help the other with. She really liked Kiara, immediately warming up to her no-nonsense mentality and creative thought process. Kiara was a planner: measure twice, cut once. Blue, on the other hand, measured never and cut seven times...she got too antsy and wanted to push forward, to <em> do </em> something instead of waiting around thinking about it.</p><p>Well, all except for one particular situation about a particular guy in her life, so it seemed.</p><p>Kiara liked to analyze for any potential issues, weed through multiple different solutions, then decide on the best way forward. They would balance each other out nicely, which is lucky since Kiara was technically hired to work with the previous designer before she left the production.</p><p>Blue finally brought out her leather-bound notebook with her precious sketches inside. She let Kiara browse them at her own pace and ask questions as she thought of them.</p><p>"So what do you think?" Blue asked hesitantly.</p><p>Kiara paused, chewing on the inside of her cheek while she thought about the depictions of what they would be creating together in front of her. Finally, she looked up at Blue and began to smile a big genuine smile, flashing her bright white teeth and shocking Blue with her enthusiasm.</p><p>"I think we are going to blow everyone's minds and make some amazing shit together."</p><p>Blue laughed at that and agreed wholeheartedly. She wanted to let Kiara take full ownership of some of the supporting cast and ensemble's costumes by letting her come up with the sketches for them on her own, so she asked if she was interested in doing it before the first production meeting.</p><p>"If you don't feel comfortable with that then it's totally fine, I can work on them between now and then," Blue offered.</p><p>Kiara looked uncertain, "you're okay with me doing that? I mean I've done tons of sketches before, but I've never been asked to do the final design for something that will actually be on stage. What if they're terrible? Or don't fit in with the feel of what you've already accomplished? Or what if-"</p><p>"Don't worry about it! If you do it, we come together again and go over it all and make whatever changes are needed, like we did today. It's not the end of the world if it doesn't line up exactly at first, we can make it work. Like I said before, I am not afraid to be honest, about more than just baked goods, so I'll let you know what I think and we can work on it together to get it where it needs to be. It's up to you..."</p><p>Kiara thought about it and then finally nodded slowly and said she would try, but only if she could take photos of Blue’s sketches to use as a reference to make sure to keep them as similar as possible. She would even sketch the figures in the same style so it would look like one cohesive project.</p><p>Blue smiled warmly and told her "whatever makes you step out of your comfort zone and accomplish what you need to. I'm a challenger, I like to push people to see what they can do. But I'm not afraid to help along the way, so don't ever feel bad asking."</p><p>"Okay then. I'll try to have them for you in a few days and you can flush them down the toilet if they are terrible. I'll cry for a week if that happens, but the show must go on."</p><p>Blue joked, "no way, New York City plumbing can't handle that. I'll just light them on fire and burn them. Get rid of the evidence."</p><p>Kiara laughed and agreed, "ah yes that will be <em> so </em>much better, I'll cry for a whole month then instead!"</p><p>————</p><p>After their meeting was over, Kiara headed straight back to the tiny desk in the corner to start researching what she wanted to do with the sketches. Wanting to give her space and a quiet place to her work, Blue decided to pack up and head home. She needed to make a plan for their visit to the garment district in a couple of days and wanted to make sure she was able to go through her collection of fabrics at home to know what she might already have.</p><p>She went down the stairs and waved at Jin as she passed. He was laying completely flat on the ground in a bed of sawdust under a workbench, hammering something into place with his right hand and waving with his left.</p><p>As she headed through the doorway into the office hallway, she saw Arjun coming in at the opposite end through the side entrance door at the exact same moment. He smiled when he saw her and did nothing but hold up a plain white grocery bag and wag his eyebrows in her direction as if to say, 'want some?'. Even from the other end of the hall, she could recognize the bag and the shape of the containers inside to know exactly what he meant.</p><p>Her eyes got wide and she shook her head to say, 'oh dear God yes!’ and turned immediately left into the break room.</p><p>Arjun's mom had cooked for them; it was time to feast.</p><p>————</p><p>It had been a long time since her belly was full of the most delicious biryani in the existence of all mankind, so Blue sat back in her chair and savored the warm feeling she had after inhaling the food Arjun had spread out all around the break room's table for them.</p><p>"She hasn't lost her touch, I see?" Blue mumbled as she stretched her arms above her head.</p><p>Arjun snapped a photo quickly on his phone before Blue could catch him and immediately sent it to his mom. "You know her greatest joy in life is seeing how miserably full someone is after eating her food! This will make her entire week!"</p><p>Blue rolled her eyes and relented, "only because Rida deserves whatever she wants after sending a meal like that. And here I was wondering what I would have to do for dinner, probably just eat some Twizzlers and go to bed." She was a good cook, pretty phenomenal actually especially with smoked meats or Tex-Mex, but she was just too lazy sometimes to cook for one person. Thinking of the ratio of dirty dishes created versus food eaten is what made her often choose takeout, but she usually preferred<em> real </em>food cooked in a <em> real </em>kitchen.</p><p>Arjun looked horrified, "oh God, I'll leave that out of my text. She would probably be moving into your apartment tomorrow to take care of you and fatten you up. 'Too skinny to find a husband' were her exact words when you came over after finals in freshman year, right?"</p><p>"Oh no. I guess she was right! Look at me now," she waved her hands over her body, "still single and with no prospects."</p><p>"Uh, I don't know about that...there is one very good looking prospect a few doors down that I think would satisfy Rida's desire to marry you off," Arjun nodded his head in the direction of Gael's office.</p><p>Blue rubbed her hand over her face and sighed. Should she tell Arjun about the small moments she'd had with Gael? She knew she could trust him with her life, but he loved to help so much that he might try to...help. She didn't know if she even<em> wanted </em>anything to happen with Gael anyways, it would be so complicated and she still wasn't sure what was going on in his head.</p><p>"Yeah right, I literally have no time for anything other than deciding on a cotton blend versus wool right now. By the way, do you have a final budget for me and a spending card? Or should I just put in for reimbursements after I make purchases?" Blue tried to change the subject smoothly. "Kiara and I will be going fabric shopping at some point, we can just get swatches first and wait to buy until after the first production meeting."</p><p>"Yeah I am picking up everyone's spending cards by next week, so I'll let you know when I have them. I intended to get them today, but when I tried to go in Gael's office to get the bank account info the<em> she-devil </em> Carrie was in there with him. Based on what I heard it was better for my health to stay away and just try another time."</p><p>Blue tried to play it cool, "yeah I accidentally walked right in without realizing she was here and it was<em> super </em>tense. Gael looked like she was draining the life from him and she looked a little resentful about not getting the job. Why would she even be here?"</p><p>Arjun started stacking up all the Tupperware containers that were now empty of roti and chutneys and launched into what was apparently going to be a very interesting story, according to the location of his eyebrows arched high as could be on his forehead.</p><p>"Well from what I now know, they worked together two shows ago. It was a small off-Broadway show, I think it was a super modern take on all the Henry IV plays combined into one, or something like that. Anyways, he had the lead role and she was the assistant costume designer when they started dating. Like full-on, real relationship, move in together dating. Not just a coworker with benefits."</p><p>She gestured for him to hand her the stack of Tupperware so she could start washing it, knowing Rida would expect every single one returned sparkling clean and with its matching lid.</p><p>"Everything seemed off from day one, she was controlling and manipulative to basically everyone around her, but with him, she was like a dragon hoarding her rubies. She would create drama just for the sake of it. Constantly trying to make life around her fit her idealized self-image, she acted like she could do no wrong and made sure everyone knew it. Well, that gets old right?"</p><p>Blue nods attentively while she rinsed the last container and started to dry them all off, the disgust for this girl growing with each sentence Arjun uttered about her.</p><p>"So the entire crew and even the cast start getting really tired of her shit and the drama she brought with her, but Gael glossed over it every time she caused an incident. He would just try to make peace with everyone involved. Hell, he even flat out ignored her multiple times. Whatever happened towards the end almost cost him the role, but no one really talks about it so I don't know exactly what happened. Well, finally, they break up - it's very sudden and no one knows what the last straw was that made it actually end. They have to live through the rest of the show still working 'together' on opposite ends of the theater."</p><p>"Wow. She sounds like a real sweetheart,” Blue sneered. "How in the world did she even get considered for this show then if they have such a bad history?"</p><p>"Well, that's the weird thing, when I heard all this I asked Julian the same thing. Apparently she's great at what she does so the team thought it might be worth at least talking to her since it had been years and hopefully water under the bridge. Blue, her interview was<em> so embarrassing. </em> Like Fergie singing the national anthem embarrassing. She was obviously trying to immediately manipulate Gael, in front of everyone, to give her the job. I have to say he did a good job of not being fooled twice and finished the interview as a professional courtesy, but damn if I wouldn't have paid money to see him call her out right then and there," Arjun look wistful at the prospect of the amount of gossip he would have had just from that one incident.</p><p>This entire story was proof enough she couldn't tell anyone, not even Arjun, about her moments with Gael. It sounded eerily similar to her situation and put her off a little. It was probably best to just wait it out, keep her distance, and everything would all go away soon. Production was starting and everyone would be so busy there would be no time for such romantic notions anyways.</p><p>Blue said, "well luckily for everyone I'm so amazing that I defeated the<em> she-devil </em>before she could get her claws into this show...and also that poor guy Bobby or Billy or whatever, I defeated him too, fair and square," then she added a cheeky hair flip at the end just to reiterate how grateful Arjun should be for her gracious reign as champion.</p><p>He rolled his eyes and laughed at her, "oh yes, thank you our most benevolent Queen Bluebonnet of the Costume Department." He mockingly bowed at her, "where would we be without you?"</p><p>"Probably trying to gossip with Billy instead?" Blue said as she tossed the last clean lid into the same grocery bag they arrived in and tied the handles together.</p><p>Arjun took the bag from her, agreeing she was a lot more fun to gossip with than Billy what's-his-name probably would be.</p><p>Blue was headed home with a full belly, while Arjun planned to stay and keep working on the production schedule he'd been putting together to hand out to everyone at the first production meeting coming up soon.</p><p>"Thanks for dinner. I feel like I haven't seen you since we started working together, so it was nice to just sit and chat," Blue said as she gave him a hug goodbye and headed left out of the break room.</p><p>Arjun agreed, "let's make a plan to have a meal together at least once a week so we don't get stuck in business mode only!" He got louder as she got further away. "That way we can still have some normal gossip in our life!"</p><p>Blue was walking backwards down the hall and yelled to him, "deal!" before turning around and heading home to start planning her trip to the garment district of New York City.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Walking down a loud and hectic 39th street, Blue muffled out the sounds of traffic with her headphones and listened to music instead. She had a "swatching" playlist that she normally shuffled through when she went by herself, but Kiara was meeting her at the first store so she was psyching herself up now instead. The iced coffee she was slurping the last drops of would also help her have the energy she would need for searching through mountains of fabric all day. It was from her new favorite cafe that Gael had introduced her to a few days ago when he unexpectedly brought her a coffee at work. As he sat the steaming cup down on her desk, he said that he couldn't handle the thought of her drinking store brand coffee grounds and wanted her to try their in-house roasted beans that were ethically sourced from a little village in Columbia. She told him it was sweet of him to try and remedy her coffee ignorance, and now it had become her preferred choice of places to get her caffeine fix...and it had </span>
  <em>
    <span>mostly </span>
  </em>
  <span>nothing to do with the fact that Gael was the one that introduced her to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she tossed the empty coffee cup into a trash can while she waited to cross the street, she looked down at her fifteen-year-old chucks that used to be white; they were her lucky shopping shoes that always helped her stay on her feet long enough to find what she needed. With the sun beating down on her and even warming the sidewalk's concrete, she was thankful she chose to wear her ripped Levi's shorts and a light green tank top to keep cool inside the sweltering fabric stores. They really needed to find sample swatches of fabrics that she could attach to the sketches for everyone to see at the upcoming production meeting. It would further help get their vision across to all the other heads of departments, and especially to the people footing the bill for her budget. She wanted to make a good impression and show that she was the right choice for this job. No matter how confident Arjun and even Gael had seemed in her, this was a very important meeting to make it clear from the beginning that she was competent enough to make this show be the best it can be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even with all that pressure though, nothing could dampen her spirits today. The garment district could be an assault on the senses for some people, but not for Blue. She thrived on the rows and rows of textiles, all piled to the ceilings in every color imaginable. Feeling the different textures and weaves brush across her fingers was like sensory therapy for her. Even the smell of all the different fibers mingling together in the air created an interesting aroma that was a bit funky, and yet at the same time welcoming. The only thing she didn't like was the awful fluorescent lighting every single shop seemed to have; they offered no help in determining if something was the right color or how it would look on stage. Knowing she couldn’t have everything her costumer heart desired, Blue just looked at it as a bit of a surprise awaiting her once she got the fabric outside in the daylight. It was almost like a gamble; take it out of the bag after you've bought it and see if your intuition was right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hunt for the perfect fabric was exhilarating yet exhausting, and it charged her with the need to conquer this challenge every time she stepped foot through the door of a shop. It was no different today as she opened the door with a bell ringing above her to announce her presence. She immediately spotted Kiara digging around through one of the bins marked </span>
  <em>
    <span>'remnants 4 sale'</span>
  </em>
  <span> by the checkout counter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Find anything interesting?" Blue asked as she walked up to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara mumbled, "meh..." and looked disappointed. She stood up and said, "there is never anything good, but I can't seem to help myself and check </span>
  <em>
    <span>just in case</span>
  </em>
  <span> this is the time I find some antique silk ribbon that got mixed in on accident."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue laughed and nodded her head, "I'm the exact same way! I try to just walk on by, but never have any luck ignoring them and end up searching for ten minutes to no avail.” Peeking inside an overflowing bin for just a moment, she added, “too bad really, we could definitely use some soft creamy ribbon for Sarah's dress in the second act."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes or some myrtle green for her day dress. But there are dozens of bins for us to look through today, so hopefully we will find what we need." Kiara looked a bit stressed as she turned and started walking towards the aisle packed with every type of wool imaginable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue would admit that she was naturally a bit overconfident, but she had good reason to be. She never once had finished a day of fabric shopping without finding something; it may not be what she was there to look for in the first place, but something always found its way into her arms that was meant to be there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, I am one hundred percent positive we will find what we need, maybe more. I must have some kind of fabric fairy that follows me around in these places and guides me to what I need because I always seem to find the perfect thing in the weirdest spots. One time, I was looking for black silk that would shine just right on stage without looking cheap."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"That's impossible," Kiara laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know, right? Well as I was walking down the god-awful animal print aisle, something starts to fall off the very top and lands on the ground right in front of me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No!" Kiara gasped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes! The most perfect black silk you could ever imagine. The sheen was just subtle enough that it looked rich, but not obnoxiously shiny. I debated on whether or not I could trust that it was real, like maybe I had imagined the whole thing. I ended up getting the entire bolt and making The Phantom's cape from it for a show my senior year in college. The way it flowed was so perfect too, heavy with just the right enough weight to be dramatic."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara looked at her with her wide eyes, "Blue, were you visited by the Phantom of the Fabric Store?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both laughed and turned left to go down the cotton aisle. Blue joked that if he did visit her then maybe he would be there in the store with them and to keep an eye out for a creepy dude wearing a mask, just in case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara found the first thing on their list, the blue faille they would be using for Gael's character, John. He would be wearing a linen shirt and button fly trousers for most of the show, but there was a dramatic sequence that required him to be dressed for a ball. Faille would be a little more stiff than satin, but it wouldn't wrinkle or be as shiny on stage. He didn't have a lot of movement planned in that scene so being stiff was fine, and it would give him the air of sophistication John was supposed to be putting off while refusing to dance at the ball.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They asked the older gentleman at the counter if they could cut their own swatch, or if he preferred to get one for them. He recognized Blue from her shopping there for years and said she could take whatever she needed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She dug around in her bag full of swatching day essentials: sharp scissors, a list of everything they would need, her notebook with the sketches in it, a mini stapler to staple the swatches into the notebook as they found them, and snacks in case they got hungry. She handed the notebook and stapler to Kiara and used the scissors to cut a small square off of the most perfect shade of green faille that they would use for Gael’s trousers and waistcoat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is actually a nice warm green, but not too bright, which is hard to find; it’s almost the color of money. I think that it will go really well with his amazingly warm skin tone." Blue immediately felt slightly embarrassed talking about Gael's skin to Kiara, which was ridiculous because it was literally their job to make sure they were making the actors look as best as possible on stage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Agreed. He needs something bright enough for the stage, but still elegant for the ball. Plus, these types of crazy colors were common in that period, since aniline dyes were just created by William Henry Perkin a few years before." Kiara rattled off knowledge like it was no big deal to hold that much information in her head, all at once, while she stapled the swatch into the notebook. "Carrie always tried to put him in olive green which is too obvious, or the most boring tan you've ever seen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue stopped digging through a stack of silks and looked up at Kiara. "Carrie? You mean the blonde that hates me for stealing this job from her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara rolled her eyes and said, "yeah she's a decent designer, don't get me wrong, but she doesn't take risks. Probably because hiring her is enough risk..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What do you mean?" Blue asked, trying to sound nonchalant while she continued to dig through the stack to find a checkered-pattern wool to use for men's trousers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I worked with them a few years ago on a show called </span>
  <em>
    <span>Henry the Fourths</span>
  </em>
  <span>, not sure if you ever heard of it since it was off-Broadway for only one season. Anyways, she was the assistant costume designer for that show and I was just a tailor; she treated me like dirt from day one. Everything I did, she had this way of using words to say she didn't like it, but without ever actually saying she didn't like it. She's smart, so she makes people think she is normal, but there's a whole lot of crazy underneath. I've seen it first hand. Poor Gael..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah they seem to have some kind of history," Blue interrupted, "based on what I've heard, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure, they dated, if you could call it that. It was more like she tried to own him and he was stuck not knowing what to do with her, so he just froze like a deer in headlights." Kiara was taking the scissors to cut a swatch of wool. "I mean most people don't come across these situations often, it honestly sounded like something from a mystery novel, except he didn't get murdered at the end. Thank God he had enough wherewithal to finally end it when she lied and said she was pregnant."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh shit." Blue hopped off the stool she was using to reach the top shelf of a wonderful selection of cotton blends. "Wait, she lied to him about </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Who even does that!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Apparently psychopaths, according to Gael. Listen, I am very loyal and hate to talk about others. I wouldn't want to betray Gael's privacy, but if she has it out for you then maybe you should know what she's capable of..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well that sounds ominous," Blue said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When she told him, they were in the workshop where I had been working on mending a ripped seam for the actor playing Sir John Falstaff. Obviously, they didn't know I was in there, it was super late but I needed it fixed before the next show. She starts yelling at him about how he never even wanted the baby anyways, so why did he care that she lied? Then he starts piecing it all together, why she wouldn't let him go to any OBGYN appointments, or even the first ultrasound. He finally asks her why she did this to someone she was supposedly in a relationship with? She doesn't even give him a reason, but instead says maybe they shouldn't be in a relationship anymore and...then they </span>
  <em>
    <span>weren't</span>
  </em>
  <span> after that. They didn't speak unless they absolutely had to, made it super awkward for everyone."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was honestly speechless for the first time in her life. What could even be said about something so cruel and so disturbing? Her heart </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt</span>
  </em>
  <span> for Gael and what must have been going through his head at that time. Even though Carrie was obviously a nightmare, after the initial shock of hearing these events Blue's nature still made her want to look deeper. There had to be some sort of emotional instability inside Carrie to do that to another person that she supposedly cared for, it's rare for someone to be so calloused for no reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wonder what made her even go down that path in the first place? Who comes up with an idea to manipulate someone like that?" she asked, mostly to herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara held up a bolt of off-white linen next to another bolt that was one shade darker. Blue nodded at the darker one and handed her the scissors. "I don't even know. They seemed fine at first, everyone thought they were a decent match. But by the end...poor Gael had to be so confused by what was happening, all while trying to do eight performances a week. He was always so nice to me and, well, everyone really. By the end she had him making excuses for her behavior and just kind of trying to what was really going on. It was so weird, he's normally a big dynamic guy, but you could actually see the life being drained from him and it showed in his performances." She put away the scissors and added that she couldn't find anything else and maybe they should start making their way back to the front of the store.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was reminded of the day she walked in on them in the office. He really did look like Carrie had been drawing the air from the room and Gael was suffocating. However, she noticed he also seemed to be standing very firm and not tolerating her nonsense. She explained to Kiara all about what she saw that day to see if she had any insight as they headed out the door to start walking to the next shop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm, that is interesting..." Kiara muttered. "Good for him for standing his ground. I wonder what could have changed? I mean it's been years, so who knows. He hasn't even really dated anyone since then, that I know of. I was actually surprised to hear she had been called in last minute for the job after the last designer had to quit so suddenly. I assumed they had maybe made amends, but it seems not."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue felt even more confused than ever while they continued their swatching. They split up to conquer one of the bigger stores, J &amp; L Fabrics, so she had time to give it some thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was attracted to Gael, there was no denying that. He seemed to have some sort of attraction to her, there was no denying that either. There was a lot of hesitation on her part to even get to know him more so she could decide what she wanted, simply because he was kind of her boss and it would complicate things. Add on top of that the entire Carrie story, it complicated things even more and made it seem like he could possibly have some reservations about everything as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But try as she might, she could never really put him out of her mind; she was always wondering about what he was doing, or having to actively will herself to not text him or pop into his office. There was also the incidents of her imagining his face as a way to calm herself to sleep or absentmindedly drawing him...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, she needed to focus on her job and just let things play out. She decided to try and not pursue anything, let him be the one to make it obvious what he wanted. He stood to lose the most if he entered into another relationship with a professional colleague, and she could assume he was pretty tormented about how things went with Carrie. If he was ready for anything, he would be the one to know it and make that clear. She could respect that and make sure to not further complicate his life by adding any drama.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally feeling resolved, she was better able to focus on the task at hand. They had searched through most of the stores on 39th that she wanted to check, now they just needed to look for notions and trimmings after lunch. She had planned to take Kiara to her favorite British tea house for lunch, knowing she would probably love the insane amount of pastries and desserts they had to offer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they walked in, Kiara's excitement was obvious, if only to Blue. She didn't expect her to jump for joy, but she did say, "this is going to be amazing,” which was basically the same thing from Kiara.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, the plan is I order two desserts and you order two, then we can split them all and try each one!" Blue said excitedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure, but I'm getting my own sandwich. The only reason I'll share dessert is that I'm afraid you'll take your half anyways if I don't, so I might as well relent."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue gave her a sly look, "you already know me so well."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue ordered Welsh Rarebit since it was so tangy it would combat the onslaught of sugar she was about to assault her palate with. Kiara got a small order of tea sandwiches, cucumber and cream cheese, turkey and cranberry butter, and chicken salad. They shared a pot of Earl Grey - luckily Kiara agreed it was the superior of all the black tea blends.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Going over their swatches to make sure they were still happy with their finds, they hoped they would still be able to find the fabrics once the production team gave the final approval at the upcoming meeting. Blue had taken photos on her phone of where each bolt was located in each store, so hopefully that would help when the time came to purchase them; though, in the garment district, nothing was guaranteed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the time came to order dessert, they agreed on a lemon scone with clotted cream, a bakewell tart, raspberry teacakes, and a white chocolate choux pastry. Blue ate with her eyes closed and the sun beaming on her face through the window they sat next to. Kiara made notes on her phone with every bite she took.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they had finished, fully satisfied and energized for more shopping, they walked down to 6th street where there were a few notions shops Blue wanted to check out first. As they passed storefront after storefront that said, "STORE CLOSING" or "COMING SOON: STARBUCKS" Blue mentioned how sad it made her that the garment district was suffering so badly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara said, "I read that New York City has lost 95% of its clothing and apparel workforce since the 1950s. Can you believe that? I feel like it's doomed and there's nothing to do about it. It's just hanging on by a thread."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"True, but us supporting smaller shops is more help than you think. And I refuse to haggle, even though people say you can. I'll find other ways to stay on budget, reducing their profit is not a bragging right for me. This is how they feed their families, it is my responsibility to have the imagination to pay decent prices and not cut corners."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara looked surprised.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" Blue asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh nothing, you're just the complete opposite of basically everyone I know in this business, like Carrie..." Kiara trailed off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh good, I hope to stay as wildly different from her as humanly possible."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were finally done for the day and headed to the subway stop to say their goodbyes when an antique store grabbed Blue's attention. There was an old bathtub filled with plants and greenery outside on the sidewalk, a dozen old mismatched chairs, and even a few bookshelves sitting there waiting to find new homes. What caught her eye, though, was a sign that said</span>
  <em>
    <span> 'civil war antiques: 50% off today only'</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She had been slightly disappointed her Fabric Phantom hadn't visited them today and had even joked he must have the week off. So when she saw that sign she got the tingly feeling of a good find waiting for her and nudged Kiara inside the store before she could protest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Blue, I hate antique shops. They're disorganized and dusty and half of the stuff isn't authentic," Kiara said as she passed an old creepy doll that was definitely haunted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I know I know, I usually don't fall for these rip-off spots. But I have a feeling, trust me on this one." She stopped when she found a sign hanging over a glass counter protecting exactly what she was looking for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Inside, there were a few rusted shaving mugs, some still with shaving brushes and some missing them. The straight razors were marked "bone and ivory" but were clearly resin. The belt buckles looked real, although so weathered you couldn't see the design on them anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she saw it, right next to the Calvary officer's spurs. It was a bright silver pocket watch, still in good enough condition to use. Less than three inches tall, including the pendant and crown, it would fit perfectly in the pockets of the trousers pattern she intended to use. The cover had an engraving of a young man and woman standing on what seemed to be a farm or homestead of some kind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A man of unknown age, due to his leathery skin, popped out from around the corner and asked, "can I help you two young ladies? I can open the case if you'd like to handle any of the artifacts."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually, I'm interested in the watch here on the second shelf." Blue pointed to it so he could find it quicker.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grabbed it with a cloth and set it gently down on the glass counter. "It's American made, Waltham model 1857. This is what we call a hunting model since it has a front cover. Let's open her up and see inside."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue noticed some kind of inscription she couldn't make out in this lighting, and saw that it wasn't working.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you have the key? Or do you know if it's in working condition?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well no, this one was brought in by a man trying to get rid of his grandfather's things and he didn't have any service work records, the key, or really any information on it at all. I'm asking $50.00 for it, but for you, I can do $40.00 cash money right now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue smiled and said, "how about that 50% off sign outside?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man looked like he had forgotten all about that sign and regretted already knocking off $10.00. She felt bad for him so she said, "how about we make it $25.00 and call it a deal?" since that would only be 50% off his original price.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sold!" he smiled and wrapped it up to take to the register.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they were only a block away from their subway stop, Kiara said, "I can't believe you found an actual antique Civil War era watch for the show! For $25.00! You’re sure this doesn't trespass into the prop department, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nope, watches were considered jewelry, especially back in those days, which means we have full reign over it. It will be perfect for the scene when John and Sarah have that big fight and he dramatically checks the time to see if he can leave yet, or if he has to stay and keep fighting with her. Sometimes the real thing helps the actor have some weight behind what they're doing, you know? It really feels different holding this than it does holding some cheap knockoff I could buy online."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara teases, "I guess the Fabric Phantom has broadened his repertoire to include finding antique watches too. What's next, wigs? Maybe even shoes? We could use some help finding era-appropriate shoes if you're listening, dearest Phantom!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue laughed and said, "I told you to wait and see, I always find exactly what I'm looking for, and exactly what I'm not looking for."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It was finally the day Blue had been looking forward to, while also somewhat dreading: the first production meeting. All the heads of departments would be there to share what they had established so far, clarify any needs they might have, set deadlines, and make a final schedule.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had all the sketches in her notebook with swatches stapled to each page to further show everyone what the finished pieces would look like. In the front of the notebook, she added a tentative schedule for when she estimated they could have each costume complete, although everything was all subject to change based on that day's meeting. She also had her script with all the notes she had taken on it, ready for any questions that might come her way to justify her decisions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She opened the side door of the theater and ran right into Gael as he was leaving his office, the warm breezy day throwing the heavy metal door out of her hands as she entered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh my God, I am so sorry Gael!" she exclaimed as he caught her arm to keep her from falling flat on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Whoa! Careful! Are you okay?" he held onto her as he kicked the door shut. "Stupid door is a safety hazard on a windy day like this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He still had her in his arms, although she was perfectly stable and didn't need his support anymore. She just stood there, waiting for him to let her go, unsure of what to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks...I usually like to make a grand entrance, but that was a little excessive," Blue joked to cover the awkwardness, as usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael gave her his biggest smile, which was even more breathtaking from how close she was still standing to him. "Yeah, maybe next time just have a band of trumpets announce your arrival instead." His teeth were almost perfectly straight and the stubble growing on his chin framed his full lips. That smile could knock down buildings, but for now, it just had Blue speechless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael must have finally realized he was still holding her arm when she didn't say anything, so he gently let her go. His eyes told her he was reluctant to stop holding her, but he tried to act nonchalant about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll see you on the stage in a minute, I have to head upstairs and check on something first," Blue said as she started walking away. She was wearing her favorite vintage overalls she had cut into shorts years ago with a black and white striped t-shirt underneath that showed the tiniest bit of midriff. She knew the small platform on her shoes naturally gave her stride a bit of a sway as she walked, further accentuating what her shorts were already showing off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Aunt Millie always said: if you got it, flaunt it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could feel his gaze again as she went down the hallway and couldn't help herself but turn around to look. He was already stepping back into his office as she peeked over her shoulder, but she could tell he had stood there to watch her walk away. She figured it was only payback for her checking him out already a time or two, and she didn't mind the electric feeling it sparked inside her chest to know he must have liked what he saw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was completely lying about needing to go check on something upstairs, she just needed an excuse to get out of the awkward situation. Heading up the stairs anyway, she decided to take a minute and compose herself. She instructed her feelings to keep to themselves, this was not the time nor the place to make an appearance. This was an important meeting, a time to stay professional and get stuff done. She had already resolved to let Gael pursue her, if he even wanted to. She packed the emotions away neatly and stored them inside their box for another time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Heading back down the stairs she saw Arjun walking towards the stage and yelled out for him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey! Are you ready to finally get this ball rolling?" she asked as he gave her a hug and looped her arm through his. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They started walking towards the stage as he answered, "more than ever, now that you're here. I literally cannot wait to see what you've got in that notebook, everyone has been talking about it and trying to guess what you have up your sleeve."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well I'm glad I've created so much suspense, hopefully everyone likes what is in here," she said as she patted her bag with the notebook inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They entered the stage through the wings exactly where Gael had taken her a few days before, except this time on the stage there were four long tables set up in the shape of a square with folding chairs all around. This was a standard production meeting setup because everyone would be facing each other and have a chance to easily ask questions or show the group something if they needed it. Basically like Arthur's round table, except Gael's square table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue took a seat next to Arjun and unpacked her notebook from her bag, along with her phone and a bottle of water. She was chatting with Arjun about the latest episode of a show they both liked when Gael walked onto the stage. She looked up at him and as soon as he saw her he faltered for a second, then decided to come over and sit next to her. Not the producer, or the director. Not even the stage manager, or choreographer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He plopped his thick binder and laptop on the table next to her and then carefully set his half-empty cup of coffee down. "Mind if I sit here?" he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nope, go right ahead," Blue said as her heart started pounding. He was sitting so close she could feel the heat radiating off his arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Today was not going to be easy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once everyone was gathered, Gael opened things up by thanking everyone for being there. He wanted everyone to introduce themselves, since there were a couple of new faces, say what their position at the theater was, and if they were a sandwich what would they be. Everyone laughed at that and he started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Gael Luiz Nevárez, umm I'm playing the lead role of John since I wrote it and I'm selfish so I wanted the role all to myself." Everyone laughed and a guy across the table joked that no one else could do it, there were too many lines to remember so only the brain that wrote it could recall them all. Gael smiled and shrugged in agreement then continued, "I also am co-producing with the fantastic Malik Anderson," he said as he nodded in Malik's direction who then waved at the group. "And if I had to be a sandwich I would be my mom's jibarito, with no tomato."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone nodded along as though that made perfect sense, a few people saying they could go for one right now, except to leave the tomato on it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They went around the rest of the table, starting with Malik who was sitting around the corner of the square to Gael's right. Next to him was Agnes Bennett, the choreographer. Blue had heard of her since she was known around town for being tough as nails, but a mastermind at her craft. Then the director, Julian Fosse, introduced himself. He had directed Gael on</span>
  <em>
    <span> Henry the Fourths </span>
  </em>
  <span>and consulted on his last show as well. Jin and who she assumed was Eliza were sitting together, holding hands on the table. She could tell they were that awesome older couple everyone hopes to be, the ones that have seen war together and made it through. They even answered each other's sandwich question like it was the newlyweds game. The lighting designer, Natasha Orozco, and the sound designer, Ken Fisher, sat next to each other. That left Arjun to introduce himself as the production manager, who interestingly said he was a grilled cheese sandwich, before it was her turn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, I'm Blue Everson. I'm the new costume designer that stepped into the role just a few weeks ago. And if I had to be a sandwich, well it's got to be a mesquite-smoked brisket sandwich on white bread with homemade barbecue sauce, none of that store-bought stuff."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone looked like their mouths were watering just at the mention of it. Blue's stomach grumbled in protest that she was talking about it, but not actually about to eat it. She noticed Gael grin a little and say, "okay, now that we are all starving, let's get down to business."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The meeting went on for a couple of hours, starting from the top and working their way down. The biggest part of the creative budget went to scenery, not to mention it's the first thing the audience sees when the curtain rises. They did a breakdown of the digital mockups Eliza had made with her team, showing every detail they already thought of and every area they were still undecided on. The show was going to move so quickly and span over so many years and locations that Eliza had decided to use one central setting. It was a risky decision, but the more she described it the more sense it made. The story started at the factory John worked at when he was a boy and went all the way through the four years of the war, ending a few years post-war at the beginning of the Reconstruction Era. There was no way to adequately show all of that in a realistic manner, so Eliza went for metaphorical instead. The set was heavy and bulky to show the weight the war had on the American people. She wanted to make it look like a common man's place since the fate of the war was waged on the common man's back. Slavery was addressed very early on in the show and the key aspect of John's struggle through both acts. She had a creative way to call attention to it by making half the stage turn 180 degrees to reflect that every battle John fought, the slaves mirrored it with their own struggle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Eliza was done, Blue felt like her ideas for the costumes were, so far, right on track. She had jotted down a few new ideas and changes when something popped in her mind while Eliza talked, and she was able to ask quite a few questions to help clarify everything she wasn't sure on. Luckily Eliza seemed to thrive on details and enjoyed the little rabbit trails they would go down while the others would discuss amongst themselves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm so glad you asked that, Blue because I wasn't exactly sure what direction I wanted to lean towards with the furniture pieces. Although I know Jin is anxious for some designs to start working on," she winked at him, "I couldn't decide if simple was too...simple?" Eliza made air quotes with her fingers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, I think it totally makes sense! That is one of the few times the costumes will be a bit outrageous, since it's a ball, so I think simple settings will not clutter the stage and overwhelm the audience."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"True...true...ok Jin let's see what you can do with some folding camp chairs..." and she turned to Jin to start making notes together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael decided to move on to the next most important item on the list: music. Blue had been waiting for this for a while, reading the script's lyrics was one thing, but finally hearing some samples promised to be mind-blowing. Not to mention, Gael was going to perform them and she was ready to see what all the fuss was about. Arjun said he was a genius and she had seen that to be true so far, so she didn't doubt that he must be pretty good.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Since Gael wrote and composed it, he began talking about his lyrics and the meaning behind everything. It was important for him that everything was cohesive and yet stood out at the same time, something that sounded impossible but would be huge if it worked. The lyrics he wrote were about the struggle of John with his own demons, fighting for the people who needed someone to fight for them, being used by the army as a literal pawn in their game, and in the end, dying from something as trivial as typhoid after all the hell he had just gone through during the war.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone around the table was dead silent, hanging on every word Gael said like he was giving them the secret to life. As he spoke about his desires for how </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing But Tombs </span>
  </em>
  <span>should feel for the audience, the passion built up in him until he was finally standing up and pacing back and forth. Still, everyone sat and just listened, absorbing everything he had to say. He went on about his decision to use hip-hop and rap as the major musical influence, noting that the Civil War was nothing but violence, dissing the other side, fighting the oppressors, and love for your girl back home. What was more hip-hop than that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Julian, who obviously had a good relationship with Gael since he had been with him on other shows, then directed him to "stop talking and let us hear something already!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael smiled and said sarcastically, "okay, but I hope you took your blood pressure medicine this morning Julian because this beat is going to bump..." and he clutched his chest with his hand to further make fun of Julian while he pulled his phone out of his pocket with his other hand. Julian mumbled that he was only a few years older than Gael anyways...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Natasha jumped up and ran over to the wings to dramatically turn off the stage lights while turning on the spotlight. Everyone waited as she took her seat and the music began to play through Gael's phone speaker. He was standing in the darkness, then slowly walked into the spotlight and began to perform for them.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>"Worked in a factory, dirt poor,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>got where he needed using flattery,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>feathery words moving more than just a</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>mountain, he found them needing his help</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>to run to freedom, but what beat him wasn't bullets - it was bullshit..."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was immediately in awe, the cadence of each syllable dripping with wit and power. In the first song, he laid out exactly what the audience could expect for the next two hours. He set the scene and gave them what they needed to know in order to be dropped right in on John's story and go through his journey with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he performed, something changed in Gael. The normally charming and confident guy became something else, blindingly brilliant and dauntless. He was a worthy opponent to the difficult words he was spouting, letting them flow in a way that almost hurt Blue's brain trying to keep up. He spoke so clearly to make sure every single morsel was able to be digested, which only impressed everyone further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then he began to sing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn't need to add anything to what he had already done, the show could have ended there and received a standing ovation, but his voice rang out to continue the verse in a slow and methodical melody. As he slowed down, his eyes caught Blue's just for a second, then he looked away again. She felt almost embarrassed, as though she had walked in on a private moment between him and the lyrics.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he had finished, the stage went quiet. Only the sound of Gael's breathing pierced the air as everyone stared at him, then each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun was the first to jump up and start clapping enthusiastically. "Bravo! Bravo!" he shouted as everyone else started clapping along. They were all in shock as what they had just heard was only starting to sink in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue murmured, almost to herself, "this is going to be big." </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malik must have heard her because he smiled and said, "yes...yes it is."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael looked extremely relieved that they all received it well. He jokingly took a small bow as Natasha ran over to turn the lights on again and they both sat back down. He addressed everyone, "thank you for not throwing tomatoes or booing me off the stage." Blue laughed and he looked over at her, sitting even closer now because his chair had shifted when he got up to perform.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ha! You've got a lot of nerve dropping that on us then pretending to be modest. Arjun was right," she nodded her head to her left where he sat, "you're a genius. And I think we can all agree we are lucky to be working together to bring this show to life." She stared right into his eyes as she spoke so he could see her sincerity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone around the table enthusiastically nodded in agreement. Jin, who had been mostly quiet until now said, "no one is even going to notice my chairs, thanks to your music!" and everyone laughed out loud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael thanked them and tried to soak up the compliments while subtly transitioning into talking about the rest of the music. He went over the schedule for starting to rehearse with the band. A well-known rapper and hip-hop artist named Crush*Trek would oversee the production of all the music and collaborate with Gael to make sure they didn't sanitize the show for the Broadway masses. He wanted it to stand on its own, not just be something people saw so they could check 'see a Broadway show' off their to-do list while in New York City. It needed to be perfect, or it would fail like all the other productions that had tried to implement pop music into their shows over the last fifty years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The choreography was the obvious next topic, so Gael asked Agnes to go over the status of the dance workshops. They had been working with some preliminary music for about a month already, so they decided to work on a time when they could get some more music tracks to her since the beats most likely wouldn't be changing much during production - the lyrics depended on them. She showed everyone some videos of the dancers and it was beautiful. The movements were so fluid and contemporary, adding in spurts of hip-hop that blended the music to the story perfectly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael eventually looked at Blue and said, "okay it's the moment we have all been waiting for, we finally get to see what's inside that secret notebook of yours."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She handed it to Gael so he could start passing it around, but everyone got up and ran over to stand behind him instead of patiently waiting for their turn. This was easier anyways, Blue was able to just describe each sketch as he flipped through the pages. She had arranged them all in order of appearance during the show, so it started with young John's factory worker outfit. She would weather it severely to look dirty enough, like it had been worn every day in harsh child labor conditions. Then there was the summer social when he's a teenager where he meets his sweetheart, Sarah. Those costumes were more light and airy, worn on a hot New York summer day, and delicate enough to show he had worked his way out of complete poverty and was starting to climb the chains of society. He then turned the page to see all the soldiers and officers, and this is where Blue had taken the most creative liberty. For some scenes, she had decided to make them literally just wear solid blue or gray jumpsuits with masks - to create the illusion when they all massed together that they were just one blob of color, a loss of identity. It showed how little regard those in power had for the men fighting, that they were indistinguishable from one another. All the while, the officers and generals would be wearing the gaudiest and most outrageous outfits, hopefully disgusting the audience with how they lauded themselves above the common man.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone was losing their minds about this idea, how well it fit in with the themes of the show, and how it would visually guide the audience towards how they should feel about these characters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael shook his head back and forth slowly in awe, he had been mostly silent while turning the pages with only a few "huh's" and "hmms" along the way. After Blue was done describing her thoughts, he looked down at her sketches with a serious look and said, "this is absolutely perfect. It's revolutionary - I love how well this is going to push the show forward." He looked up at her finally and said, "seriously, taking the music and story then meshing it with Eliza's set and adding your costumes...it's going to blow people's minds." He finally smiled and looked around at everyone else who was nodding along. Arjun put his hand on Blue's shoulder and said, "I knew you were meant to be here." She smiled and said, "well thank you, but I can't take all the credit. I asked Kiara to sketch some of these. Her input has been incredibly valuable so far," and quickly turned the page so the attention would be off of her and back on the drawings. They all loved John's green suit and Sarah's dress for the grand ball, especially when she said she chose the color of money to represent John’s obsession with it. Eliza even asked if she could get extra fabric and incorporate some of it into the furniture pieces as a way to project how they had thrown all of themselves into this ball and needed it to work in order to raise money for the war efforts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they were done looking through the sketches, everyone began to get off track and strike up their own side conversations about different topics. The excitement was growing and the ideas were flowing. Gael leaned over and whispered in Blue's ear, "you want a caffeine fix from the break room?" She could feel his warm breath as it stirred the hair that hung from her messy bun around her ears. The sensation was disorienting, especially since she wasn't expecting it. Her brain couldn't think of an answer to his simple question for so long that she worried he would think she was put off by it. Finally, her mouth was capable of forming the word "yes" hopefully quickly enough that he didn't change his mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He whispered again, "okay cool, meet me there in one minute so we don't look obvious," and he stood up, slipping away unnoticed. Everyone was still deep in their own conversations and paid no attention to him slide off the stage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue's heart was pounding. How was she supposed to sneak away without anyone noticing? Why was she even sneaking? It made it seem like they were doing something...different...than just getting coffee.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Blue sat still for a few seconds and then tapped Arjun on the shoulder, interrupting his conversation with Ken. She said she would be back in a minute and he nodded without even looking her way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She walked through the wings and took a right to head towards the hallway where the break room was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she walked in, Gael was already digging two cups out of the cabinet above the espresso machine. He was quite a bit taller than her and made reaching the top shelf so easy she almost felt jealous. His gray button-up was lifting slightly and she could see the same tan skin that she got a glimpse of weeks ago at the library. He sat the cups down on the counter and finally noticed her standing in the doorway, giving her a sly smile. "Did you get away unnoticed?" he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue laughed nervously, "um, yeah, I think so...why are we being sneaky again?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael gave her an incredulous look. "Well obviously because if they know what I'm doing in here they will all want to storm the break room and fight over the first cup - and before you say anything, yes it's that good, just wait and see - so we have to be sneaky."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue relaxed a little now that she was certain he really did just want to make her coffee; she couldn't believe her mind had gone </span>
  <em>
    <span>elsewhere </span>
  </em>
  <span>about his intentions. "Well, I guess I'll just have to be the judge of how good your coffee is," she said as she crossed her arms. "I swear I won't hold anything back."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael laughed her favorite laugh, the one where he squinted his eyes from smiling so big. "Oh, I don't doubt that one bit, </span>
  <em>
    <span>mi Azul</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had almost forgotten about his nickname for her. And his sexy accent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Walking over to the counter, Blue decided to lean up against it and watch him work. He had already poured water into the reservoir so now he started grinding up the beans. They shot out into the portafilter while he looked up at her and smiled. When the grinder was done crushing them into fine grounds, she said to him, "you seem to know what you're doing. I'm assuming you do this often since it's conveniently located in the break room of the theater where you spend most of your time?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nodded and explained, "I try to every day if I can. It's one of the most relaxing things in my life, honestly. See, there are exact measurements and mechanisms which work the same way every time, if you do everything right and maintain it, of course. I guess I can depend on it to always come out the way I want, so it helps ease my mind and give me a break, even if it’s for just a few minutes. So much better than yoga..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey! I happen to love yoga!" Blue punched his bicep, joking that she was offended. He winced and rubbed his arm, as though she could actually harm him. "I totally get what you're saying though, this is exactly what yoga is for me. For even just half an hour I don't have to think about anything else and can clear my mind of all the clutter. It's methodical too, if you do it right there's a purpose to it and it gives you the result you were expecting."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, I guess that makes sense if you put it that way. Maybe I'd be a lot more interested in yoga if you were doing it with me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Challenge accepted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, you make me coffee and I'll take you to a yoga class," Blue offered, completely expecting him to blow her off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Deal." He seemed serious. "But I'm only going if you sit next to me, I don't want to get stuck in a pretzel knot wearing yoga pants without someone nearby to help." He started leaning in closer to her, making her heart immediately race, but then he just reached over and pulled the lever down on the machine. The smirk on his face said he knew exactly the effect his closeness would have on her - she was beginning to think his flirtation was just as methodical as his espresso making.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was also beginning to wonder what other signs she was supposed to be looking out for. He was obviously physically attracted to her, she got that loud and clear. But how far was he willing to take this? </span>
  <em>
    <span>That's</span>
  </em>
  <span> what she needed to know.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What if I practice in a parka and combat boots? Will you match me so we can be yoga outfit buddies?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He snorted and said, "if that's your outfit, I'm game."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She noticed clear water began running out. "Wait, I don't mean to tell you how to do your job, but aren't you supposed to put the grounds in the water to make the coffee?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael rolled his eyes. "Amateurs. First of all, it's c</span>
  <em>
    <span>afé exprés </span>
  </em>
  <span>- espresso. Second of all, I'm warming the group and the cups so they don't cool it down once it starts to pour, plus this brings clean water through the pipes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded and acted impressed, "okay, </span>
  <em>
    <span>si señor</span>
  </em>
  <span>, that actually makes sense." She put her hands up in defeat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirked at her and started to tamp down the grounds, then twisted his wrist as he pulled the tamper out. "This is to create restriction in the grounds for even extraction."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you know all this?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My dad ran a c</span>
  <em>
    <span>afé </span>
  </em>
  <span>shop in Puerto Rico before they moved to the states. He showed me everything I know; taught me how to clean the machine so it keeps working, even how to make all the different drinks people would order from him. I have a lot of great memories of him making everyone happy with his coffee before he passed away." He smiled to himself as he slid the portafilter into the group then turned it clockwise until it locked in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue noticed him reminiscing and it made her realize that she learned her love of yoga from a parent too. "My mom taught yoga for years...before she died." Gael looked up at her abruptly. "I remember seeing people hug her after classes and leave with the brightest smiles on their faces. It made me feel so proud of her, even as a young child I understood that she was making people happy."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The crease in his brow made it seem as though Gael didn't want to push the topic any further; maybe he was as bad about trying not to think of those who were gone as Blue was. Trying to create a distraction from the somber tension, he pulled the lever down to release the water and let it shoot through the grounds. A thick brown stream of espresso began to slowly flow in a straight line, steam rising from the hot liquid as it filled the cup. He looked at her through the side of his eye and noticed she had already turned around to grab some milk from the fridge, more than willing to move on from such a difficult topic - one she never spoke openly about with anyone. She handed the carton to him with a small smile on her face, "I'm not brave enough to have a shot, let's see how good your lattes are."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He began to steam the milk and froth it with the steam wand. "Anything for </span>
  <em>
    <span>mi Azul. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Actually, I think I'll even have one myself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He carefully poured the milk into the side of the cup and then did a classic latte design as the foam began to pour. Handing her the cup carefully, her hands folded over his and he held on for a second, purposefully keeping the contact between them. Blue couldn't tell if it was the heat from the drink or his skin on hers that sent shivers down her arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure you can handle this, it might be stronger than you're used to and there's no sugar."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue scoffed, "honey I'm from Texas, we were built for sweet tea and strong coffee. If I can't have the sweet, I can appreciate the strong."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She took a sip as he watched every second of her experience closely, wanting to see her reaction to the drink he made for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"So?" he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue thought about making a joke, as she usually did, but decided to be genuine since it seemed to be something he really cared about. "It is without a doubt the best latte I've ever had in my life. Ever." She took another sip and a small moan escaped her mouth as she closed her eyes and savored the full flavor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she looked back up at Gael, his eyes were darker and his face was full of color. He stepped a little closer to where she was standing, so close he could have easily bent down and kissed her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why was she thinking of kissing right now?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But his full lips were so close and they looked even more delicious than his latte. She wanted to taste them so badly-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There you two are!" Arjun interrupted and they jumped apart. Blue spilled a drop or two of her latte over the edge of her cup onto her hand. She started to lick her fingers one at a time, then she noticed Gael still staring at her, his eyes betraying his thoughts even though they weren't alone anymore. She quickly stopped and turned to Arjun, "hey, you scared the shit out of me! I'm holding hot coffee here, I could have been seriously injured. These hands are my most valuable possession, you know?" and she winked at him as she started walking towards the door, leaving Gael stranded to pick up his own cup and head out the door as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah well coffee break is over, you guys have to come back and let me bore you all with my budget and schedule plans. It's exciting stuff, I even color-coded the budget with a different color for each department! Don't worry, I gave wardrobe the blue column." He nudged her as they walked back into the stage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aww, you're such a sweetheart," and she sat down trying to inconspicuously shake off what just happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Who knew lattes could be so hot?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was exhausted from the long meeting that day. Sitting around talking about ideas is fun for the first few minutes, but she could only stand it for so long. She wanted to actually do something instead of only talking about it, so a six hour long production meeting was excruciating for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Luckily she had a coffee break in between.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue rubbed her temples, she couldn't decide if she had a headache from taking in so much information that day, or from being so confused about Gael. How does one go about asking their sort-of-boss, </span>
  <em>
    <span>'hey I know you think I'm attractive, right back at you by the way, but are you ever going to do anything about it? Or is this just a fun way to pass the time?'</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Now that she rubbed her neck, she realized she was so sore from sitting in an uncomfortable folding chair all day. All her muscles ached from being tense since Gael was sitting so close, she didn't want to accidentally bump his arm or anything. God forbid. She looked at her phone, it was only 4:30 in the afternoon so she had time to swing by for a quick yoga session and still be able to grab dinner before crashing at home in her lovely bed. She turned left instead of walking straight as she had been. Namaste was only a couple blocks this way. Suddenly she stopped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What if she invited Gael? Would it be too presumptuous to assume he would actually go with her? She had tasted his latte, after all, so he did owe her one session, technically. She decided to text him quickly before she overthought it.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey, it's Blue. Heading for a yoga session in 20 minutes - thanks to sitting in the most uncomfortable chairs in human history all day long, I need it. If you were serious about it I'll send you the link. I mean you do owe me for the coffee, but I'll understand if you chicken out...if you're brave enough, then don't forget your combat boots and parka!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She added a laughing face emoji to show she was kidding, then hit send. She found the address link for the studio and sent it right away so he could find it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately the three dots popped up on the screen, meaning he was typing. She kept walking so she didn't have to think too hard about what she just did. This was definitely not her pursuing him, just her trying to help a friend out. His back was probably sore from sitting all day too, they were all more used to working on their feet or with their hands. Not the sitting types at all. Plus he was the one that had said he would go to a-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her phone buzzed and she looked down. All he sent was the thumbs-up emoji and the yoga guy emoji.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Seriously? Was that a yes?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That was a yes, I'll see you in 20 after I dig through my closet for my winter coat...</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled down at her phone and started walking quickly to Namaste. When she arrived, she changed into an outfit she had in her locker, this one was black leggings with a white tank top. She loved it because the back of the top had crisscrossed straps that showed off a little of her yoga-toned back. As she was coming out of the bathroom, Gael was walking into the studio.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had on a pair of black Adidas training pants and a plain white fitted t-shirt. His hair was pulled back into a man-bun again and she couldn't believe how good he looked, even in such plain clothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he finally spotted Blue, he smiled like he was being held against his will while trying to be nice to his captor so he could get extra rations. "Wow, I can't believe I'm actually doing this again. I swore after the last time that I would never try to hurt myself on purpose and call it yoga, yet here I am," he said as he waved his hands around the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue gave him a pointed look, "If you're going to be this dramatic about it then you'll have to be on the opposite side of the room. I don't want you to throw off my groove with all your complaining." She pointed at his outfit, and then hers. "At least we still somehow managed to match, so that's a plus."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed and reached for one of her straps on her back, threading his finger through it and brushing her skin slightly. "Yeah but my shirt doesn't have these, I feel like you're still slightly cooler than me..." he said, then let go of the strap and turned to walk into the room where everyone was gathering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue just stood in amazement at how forward he could be, while still playing it so cool. She could see in his eyes as he touched her back that he was enjoying every second of it, just as she was, but he acted like it was no big deal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She followed him in and headed towards the back corner, her favorite spot to lose herself in the practice and feel like she was alone; except this time she most certainly was not alone, and in fact, would be trying to not think about the guy sitting right next to her the entire time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both sat down and rolled out their mats next to each other. She crossed her legs and started taking deep breaths while peeking at Gael out of the corner of her eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was sitting too, hands in his lap, and looking around like he was questioning his decision to come here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You ready?" she asked him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh, yeah, I think so. You promise you won't make fun of me, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed, "I swear I will not only keep my comments to myself, but I'll try to help out along the way. I want you to see this can be just as relaxing as a shot of espresso - I can't believe I even just said that, it makes no sense at all, but you know what I mean."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gave her a hesitant smile and nodded his head. "Okay, whatever you say."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The instructor Mira came in and everyone quieted down. She softly asked everyone to begin breathing and clear their minds of any uneasy thoughts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, right.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They took it slow at first, gently easing into every pose. She tried to leave Gael alone since he should be capable of the basics, at least she hoped so. When they were holding their arms up steadily in </span>
  <em>
    <span>virabhadrasana 1,</span>
  </em>
  <span> or warrior 1, she looked over at him and saw that he was focusing really intently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is supposed to be relaxing, not something you are trying to conquer," she whispered to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His furrowed brow smoothed out and he looked over at her, "who says I'm not relaxed?” he grunted. “This is so incredibly easy, I am pretty sure I could do this in my sleep."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She quietly laughed, "it's not meant to be easy, overachiever. Think of it like you're moving your body in order to open it up and release any tension you're holding on to. Change your mindset, listen to your body, not just your inner thoughts and feelings."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He took a deep breath and she could see him visibly relax a little. "Much better," she whispered to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They continued the class, letting Mira guide them until Blue actually was starting to relax. A few times she would reach over and tap his shoulder to tell him to push them down and back, or nudge his foot to be parallel with the other one. More than once, she would look over and see him staring at her. She would give him the thumbs-up sign, as though to ask 'you okay?' and he would just smile and nod his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mira quietly instructed everyone that this part of the session was over and that now they should join together with their partner on one of their mats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Partner?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael looked at her suspiciously, "partner? Did you know we would have to find partners?" His hushed voice actually sounded a little flustered. "What if I get stuck with Karen over there?" he joked and he pointed at a woman in her mid-fifties, obviously only there to brag to her friends about doing yoga, but really just wanting an excuse to wear yoga pants every day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was nervous but still gave him a small laugh. "Fine, I'll rescue you from Karen. But you have to promise not to drop me?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The smirk dropped from his face and his eyes got wide, "uh, what do you mean 'drop you'?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first, all they had to do was sit down and put their feet together in the air while sitting a few feet away, then reach around their legs to hold each other's hands. The hardest part was keeping their legs straight since Gael's were so much longer than Blue's. She began to quietly giggle, mostly from the nerves but also from the sight of them in this awkward position. She honestly couldn't believe he had agreed to this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't believe I agreed to this," he joked as they wobbled a little and tried not to disconnect their feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They made it through a few more poses, including one awkwardly intimate one called </span>
  <em>
    <span>parivritta sukhasana</span>
  </em>
  <span> where they were sitting back-to-back and had to reach around and grab each other's knee to stretch their spine. She could feel his back up against hers, completely touching every square inch. His hand on her knee was firm, but he kept it where it was supposed to be like a gentleman. Maybe he really was taking this seriously?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Each pose was a little more difficult, but they were getting slightly better at knowing what to do. Luckily Blue had done this more than a few times, so she was able to keep as steady as possible to help Gael stay rooted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Remember, this is as much an exercise for your own strength as it is an exercise in working with another person," Mira said. "You must look into their eyes and notice how they are doing, adjust in a way that might help ease their burden. This is to open your mind to the world outside of yourself. We are all connected and when we help each other, beautiful things can be accomplished. You must trust your partner and let go of yourself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were currently in </span>
  <em>
    <span>trikonasana</span>
  </em>
  <span>, or triangle pose, facing each other. Their legs were split like when doing a hamstring stretch, one hand on the ground and one hand straight up in the air. The hands that they held up were supposed to be touching, but Blue's wingspan was significantly smaller than Gael's so she slowly slid her hand up the length of his arm as high as she could. She felt his skin spark under her touch, and it felt more intimate than she had intended it to be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stared into each other's eyes since they were almost nose-to-nose. She could feel his warm breath on her face and smell his scent again. Coffee, mixed with vanilla and cedar. She felt a little dizzy, probably from the blood rushing to her head, or maybe from being so close to him. His eyes were dark again, this time with an intense look in them. She felt like there was a connection forming between them, like a small silver cord that was starting to weave in front of her. She could see it beginning to link the two of them together, still thin and wispy, but growing thicker with every weave.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pose ended and they both stood up at the same time, bodies still touching. Gael took a step back and ran his hand through the hair that was falling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wanted nothing more than for him to kiss her, right there in the middle of yoga class. This was starting to become agonizing, the back and forth between them. She knew now, at that moment, that she couldn't turn back. She wanted him, he wanted her, and not knowing exactly what he wanted to do about that was getting exhausting. Maybe she was wrong all this time, maybe she needed to make the first step? Based on what she knew about his past with Carrie, was it possible that he was afraid to make the first move and let go of his past?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And now for our final pose together today we will attempt an acro yoga flying pose. If you do not feel comfortable trying this, please feel free to sit down on your mat and breath together. I encourage you all to trust your gut, but push yourself to try something new if you feel up to it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue looked at Gael, "what do you think? Are you up for it?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shrugged and said, "I mean I'm basically a pro at this point, so might as well give it a try."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mira continued, "It is important that you practice a very firm connection with this pose. Your </span>
  <em>
    <span>mudra</span>
  </em>
  <span>, or hand gesture, must fit perfectly together and your grip must be unyielding." She demonstrated with a woman at the front of the class. "Choose who will be your base, and who will fly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can hold me up, right? You seem like you would be a strong base, all five feet of you," Gael joked with her as he reached for his water bottle at the top of the mat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue smirked at him. "Nah, I'll let you be the base. I like to be on top."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael choked on his drink a little and he wiped his mouth with his arm. His mouth hung open for a second, then he shook his head slightly and muttered to himself, "I bet you do..." as he laid down on his back. He put his feet up in the air as Mira instructed and Blue leaned into them with her hips. His legs were bent so she could reach his hands with hers and he grabbed them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay now flyers, lean into your base, and let them gently push their legs up and into your hip bone. Keep your body in one line, from shoulder to heels. Bases, with straight arms, receive the weight of your flyer in your feet, then straighten your legs slowly. Make sure your heels are directly over your hips to keep as steady as possible."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue felt her entire weight push on Gael's feet as he slowly lifted her up. He wasn't struggling since she was so slight and small, but she still wanted to keep as steady as possible so she didn't fall. He was staring up at her and she began to make a funny face at him, trying to get him to crack a smile since he looked like he was focusing too hard on not dropping her, not enjoying the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grunted, "don't make me laugh, I might drop you!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue began laughing at him which made her abdomen unsteady. They started to wobble and he let her fall to one side gently, landing on her feet. She sat down next to him on the mat, holding her hand over mouth trying not to laugh so hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your face!" she whispered. She couldn't breathe because the more she tried not to laugh, the more she laughed. "You should have seen the look you had when I started coming down, like I was about to fall to my death!" She was getting louder and it was contagious. Gael started laughing, then the couple next to them. Soon, everyone in the back of the room was wobbling and falling, laughing at themselves and each other.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gael waited for Blue to change after the class was done, even though she told him he didn't have to.</p><p>As she walked back out, her stomach grumbled loud enough for three people to turn around and laugh. She shrugged and said, "all I had for lunch was a latte."</p><p>Gael looked uncertain, but he finally asked, "there's an amazing ramen place three blocks away. You should try it out sometime. I was actually going to grab dinner there, all this yoga made me-"</p><p>"Oh! Can you show me?” she interrupted, making him grateful he didn’t have to ask. “I have been looking for a good ramen place, the one near me closed down and I haven't found a replacement yet. Do you mind?"</p><p>He gave her his biggest smile yet and said, "no, not at all. Let's go."</p><p>They walked south on 9th Street for only two blocks, as promised, and found Nippori Noodle. It was a tiny place jammed between a laundromat and a burger place, so it was almost guaranteed to be delicious. There were a few stairs leading down to a lower entrance below street level, an open sign flashing in the window. The sign above the door had their name in bright yellow letters and a chicken sitting inside a ramen bowl next to them.</p><p>"This already looks so promising, I can't believe this has been two blocks away all this time and I didn't know. I never come down this way for some reason," Blue said.</p><p>"Yeah, one of my friends, Matteo, told me about it around a year ago. I probably eat here every other week, they might be the best in New York." He held the door open for her to walk through.</p><p>"Thanks." She smiled at him and went inside, immediately smelling the distinct scent of sesame oil and ginger mixing in the air. She noticed that there was only one guy behind the counter scooping something delicious out of a giant stockpot. His entire prep space was about ten square feet, but that's apparently all he needed.</p><p>"Do you want to sit at the only two empty spots at the counter, or at the only empty table left?" Gael asked her.</p><p>"Um, let's do the counter, I like to watch them work; it's more of a full-on experience that way." She grinned and walked over to the counter, dropping her bag in her lap as she sat on a stool.</p><p>The place was tiny but packed, yet another good sign. She looked at the wall behind where the cook worked and saw all the bowls stacked and lined up on a shelf the length of the entire restaurant. He was pouring and throwing and dicing and tossing so quickly she could barely keep up.</p><p>Gael handed her a menu, "it's basic ramen staples, he keeps the menu small and simple."</p><p>"Perfect." She saw they had spicy vegetable ramen and decided on that.</p><p>After they gave their order, Gael added, "and two sakés. If you're okay with that?"</p><p>"Sure, why not." She didn't normally drink on a work night, but when your boss orders it then it doesn't count.</p><p>"So I have to admit,” Gael said sheepishly, “the yoga wasn't that bad." Blue rolled her eyes at him as dramatically as she could. "No seriously, it was much better than my first experience. Maybe the last instructor didn't know as much, Mira seems pretty amazing."</p><p>"Oh, she is! Seriously, one of the kindest and gentlest humans on this planet. I don't know how she does it, but when she talks it's like everything clicks. She knows how to say things in a way that somehow calms me and grows me at the same time." Blue always loved talking about Mira, she had been going to her classes for so long that she felt like she had really made an impact in her life and kept her sane since moving to New York.</p><p>"Yeah I actually loved what she said, well the whole time, but especially during the partner poses. About how when we let go of ourselves and trust others, we can work together to make something beautiful." Gael put his elbow on the counter and rested his head in his hand. "I really feel like that is exactly what's happening at the theater, the crew we have is so amazing and it feels...different. I've worked with really talented people before and loved every show I've done, well mostly, but it seems like so far we all are able to let go of ourselves and really meld together. It already feels so cohesive even though we are just beginning, know what I mean?"</p><p>"I agree a thousand percent. I mean I love Arjun obviously, we go way back, so I already knew I'd love working with him again. But everyone else has been so wonderful and nice to work with too! And no drama, which is rare and amazing."</p><p>Gael blew out a sarcastic laugh and said, "tell me about it..."</p><p>Blue felt a little bad, wondering if he was thinking of his experiences with Carrie. "You've done a great job of bringing everyone together, you know they're all there for you, right?" Gael gave her a shrug that told her he wasn't so sure. "I mean you wrote and composed the whole thing, and are starring in it, and producing it...don't pretend like you don't know you're a genius."</p><p>"Co-producing. Don't forget about Malik," Gael deflected.</p><p>"Sure, Malik is amazing. But let me tell you, when you got up and performed today? Genius. It was almost like it couldn't be real, this wasn't happening in front of me in real life, surely. Every single word, every note...fucking genius."</p><p>"Whoa, good girl has got a mouth like a sailor!"' he teased her as he munched on some shelled edamame that was sitting in a bowl on the counter.</p><p>"What makes you think I'm a good girl? When I get passionate about something all kinds of dirty stuff comes out of my mouth."</p><p>She made him choke for the second time today, this time on a legume.</p><p>Smiling, she kept eating edamame while he regained his composure and tried to smoothly change the subject. "Yeah well, as I said before, I love the idea of coming together to make something beautiful. Your designs? It's like you stepped inside my brain, took what I didn't even know was in there, and brought it out to put down on paper. You truly captured the spirit of the show, so you must be a 'fucking genius' too, <em>señorita</em>. I'm not the only one in the room."</p><p>Blue waved her hand dismissively, "oh yes, well I already knew that. I'm glad you're up to speed now though."</p><p>He laughed and continued, "and I really appreciate that you let Kiara take ownership of some of the designs herself. If more people are willing to work together like that, we will really achieve something beautiful like Mira was saying."</p><p>She shrugged and said, "someone gave me an amazing opportunity a long time ago and I owe it to the world to let others shine. It's super boring to look at the night sky and only see one star, no matter how bright it shines. But when you can see the entire galaxy illuminated in front of you? It's breathtaking."</p><p>Gael studied her as she watched the pots of noodles simmering in front of them. He was amazed by not only her selflessness, but also her insight. "Sometimes the things that come out of that head of yours are truly amazing."</p><p>The cook handed them both of their bowls, saving Blue from trying to think of a response to his statement. Gael had ordered the miso paitan which smelled delicious, but her vegetables looked so crisp and colorful it immediately made her mouth water. She cracked her chopsticks and began to dig in, blowing on the noodles before shoving them in her mouth.</p><p>"Mmm, it's SO good!" The chef turned around and smiled at her, bowing his head quickly before turning back around to his griddle.</p><p>Gael raised his glass and she did hers, clinking them together and both saying "<em>kanpai</em>!" at the same time. They took swigs then set the glasses down next to each other.</p><p>Gael had an interesting look in his eye tonight, it was something she hadn't seen before. It wasn't intense or dark, but instead, his eyes were subtle and gentle. He seemed at ease and maybe even relaxed, something he hardly ever was at the theater. She liked the way his eyes even began to get a little heavier, as though he didn't need to be so alert and putting on a show. He was just sitting on a stool eating ramen with her after yoga class. That was it.</p><p>They began talking about their childhood and how they grew up so completely different, and yet some things were similar. Both of their moms were the strong-willed ones in their relationships, their dads rolling along with whatever made their wives happy. She found out his dad had died, but his mom was still alive. She told him that both of her parents were gone, and he said he was sorry and couldn't imagine going through what he did twice.</p><p>"Thanks. I was young, so I didn't really know how to process it well. Actually, I don't think I processed it much at all, at the time. I mean how does a kid even begin to do that? Even with all the therapy in the world, it still ruined my life through most of my teen years." Blue was wondering why she was even talking about this, was it the saké? She didn't feel it too much but maybe it was loosening her lips. Gael also always seemed so interested in what she had to say, even the hard stuff. She knew he somewhat understood what she felt, which appeared to make her feel comfortable talking with him about something she rarely even let herself think about.</p><p>"Yeah, I honestly don't know how you came out of that. You're always so bright and bubbly - sarcastic as hell - but happy." Gael was done eating and had turned to face her. Their knees were touching in the cramped space at the counter.</p><p>"I lived with my Aunt Millie, she is really the one that saved me. Never gave up, always forced me to deal with things even when I wanted to run. Ha. I feel like I should be taking her advice more often nowadays..."</p><p>"What do you mean?" Gael asked.</p><p>"Oh, nothing...anyways she pushed me to stick with theater and costume design and put me through school. Once I wasn't stuck in high school anymore and could go where I wanted to live my dreams, life got better. I still went to therapy all through college and still go occasionally. Time passes and it gets easier. You don't forget them, or move on, but it doesn't hurt so much when you think of them."</p><p>What a liar, she couldn't even look at their photo without her eyes stinging and her emotions plummeting into a dangerously low space.</p><p>"You know what, I'm sorry that's actually some bullshit I read on a pamphlet once. For real? It still <em>fucking hurts</em>."</p><p>She pinched the bridge of her nose and took a deep breath. When she opened her eyes and looked over at Gael, his eyes were somber.</p><p>"Yeah, I don't think I will ever be the same now that I know my <em>papá</em> isn't on this earth anymore. I think I still get through it by just pretending he is in Puerto Rico with <em>mamá</em> and I can call him later if I need to."</p><p>Blue nodded and said, "even as a grown adult I still think 'I should call dad' when I have a problem I know he would be able to solve in a heartbeat."</p><p>They sat in silence for just a minute, both remembering their dead as though the ramen restaurant was a holy place of mourning and not a place to eat hot noodles. The steam from the stockpots carried their prayers up as they sat and stared off into the distance.</p><p>The check came and broke them from their reverie, causing reality to crash back on them with a wave of present-day issues. Things like arguing about who will pay the bill.</p><p>"Gael Luiz Nevárez - yes I remember your full name - I will not stand here while you pay for the entire bill. At least let us split it 50/50 so my feminist card doesn't get revoked?" she acted as though that was a real thing that was at stake.</p><p>"<em>De ninguna manera</em>, I'm not letting that happen so you might as well give up Blue I-don't-know-your-middle-name Everson. Besides, we talked about the show for most of the night so it's a business expense, let Malik pay for us both."</p><p>She scowled at him and said, "fine. As long as it's a tax write-off. And it's Mae, by the way, Bluebonnet Mae Everson." She reluctantly handed him back the check and he happily took it from her.</p><p>"Bluebonnet? Your real name is Bluebonnet? Like the flower?" He almost looked like he didn't believe her, as though she would lie about something like that.</p><p>"Yep. My parents could have named me Violet, or Rose, even Holly would have been better. But they <em>really</em> wanted me to remember where I came from. Wanted everyone to know, apparently. Too bad I started going by Blue the first day of kindergarten," she chuckled. "My hippie mother was especially disappointed in my lack of enthusiasm for what they thought was such a wonderfully unique name."</p><p>Gael smiled warmly at her as they headed out the door and up the steps back to street level. "I think it's adorable, it fits you perfectly. You really are a little Bluebonnet."</p><p>Blue groaned loudly on the sidewalk as they walked towards the subway station. "Oh no, why did I tell you that? I really do hate it, only five people on this planet know my real name. You have to promise not to use it, okay? And don't tell anyone!"</p><p>Gael laughed at her without holding anything back. His voice echoed down the street and she couldn't help but smile at him.</p><p>"Don't worry, I much prefer to call you Blue. Or the occasional <em>mi Azul</em>." Gael looked at her when he said it and nudged her arm with his elbow.</p><p>She shrugged and said, "You can call me whatever you like, as long as you say it with that accent."</p><p>Okay, obviously the saké did have some effect on her.</p><p>He stopped walking and looked at her to see if she was joking, then said, "in that case, maybe <em>mujer tentadora </em>would suit you better..."</p><p>Blue knew enough Spanish from living in Texas her whole life that she understood <em>mujer </em>was woman, but wasn't sure about the other word.</p><p>"Hold on, what does that mean?" she asked as he started walking away from her. She stood there, urging her brain to try and remember 9th-grade Spanish class. Noticing he was almost to the subway street entrance, she jogged ahead and caught up to him.</p><p>He looked down at her and said, "oh nothing, maybe I'll tell you one day."</p><p>It was time for them to part ways, both headed different directions on the subway. Neither of them wanting to say goodbye, they just stood in silence for a moment and listened to the sounds of the city.</p><p>Gael was the first to work up the courage to speak, "I had a great time tonight, even though it was completely unplanned and unexpected." She could see in his eyes that he meant it, he truly enjoyed spending time with her, as much as she enjoyed spending time with him. "Oh and thanks for getting me to try yoga again, it was a class that I'll definitely <em>never</em> forget."</p><p>She looked at him as though she wasn't sure if that was a good or a bad thing. "Does that mean you'll stop bad-mouthing yoga and maybe even try it on your own?" The subway that she needed to get on was coming into the station, they could hear it clanging through the tunnel, getting closer and closer.</p><p>He laughed at her and smiled until the corners of his eyes crinkled the way she liked. "I don't know if I would want to do it by myself, it's more fun with a partner I think. Let me know if you go again any time soon, maybe I'll be free and can actually find my parka. I must have put it in storage." He shrugged his shoulders as though he actually spent time looking for his winter coat earlier.</p><p>"Oh yeah, definitely bring it next time. It really helps build up a sweat, you get more of a workout that way," she teased him as she said goodbye and turned to get on her subway before the doors closed. He waved at her through the windows as she sped off towards her stop.</p><p>She felt kind of incomplete, leaving him there without a more impressive goodbye than that. Almost as though she was expecting a kiss goodnight, instead of a joke and a wave. But it wasn't like they were on a date or anything.</p><p>Wait, did they just go on a date?</p><p>————</p><p>Blue wandered slowly into her apartment building, missing George's face since he was on vacation. After being rocked back and forth on the warm subway, she decided she would take a bath and relax for a while before heading right to bed.</p><p>Molly greeted her at the door, as was their tradition, and Blue gave her a full five minutes of chin scratches before heading to the bathroom. She started running the water as she searched in the cabinet for her Epsom salts, finding some that she had infused with lavender, and dumped half the mason jar in the tub. She lit a few candles and placed them carefully on the edges of the tub, then threw her clothes down the hall and climbed in.</p><p>The warm water immediately made her sigh in relief as her muscles relaxed from the insanely long day she had. She pushed play on the 'relax and unwind' playlist on her phone, then set it up on the counter. Sinking further down into the water, she closed her eyes and went over the day in her mind.</p><p>The meeting went really well at least. It was nice to know that the team she would be working with seemed to all be on the same page, creatively speaking. Gael's vision was going to come to life in a spectacular way, and she was delighted to be a part of that.</p><p>Yoga actually ended up being relaxing, even though she had expected it to be excruciatingly awkward. Not that there weren't some tense poses and even a few stirring moments, but honestly that just added to her enjoyment. She was getting less embarrassed of how she felt about Gael, starting to think he might need her to take a chance and make the first move. She despised being vulnerable more than anything, that's why she hid behind humor and sarcasm so often. It's also why she triple-checked to make sure her work was solid before she showed it to anyone. Vulnerability was weakness, and she refused to feel weak. When her parents died, she felt more helpless than she had ever felt in her short life, so she promised herself she would never feel that way again. The only reason she even had the thought forming in her mind to try and be vulnerable with him is that he so obviously felt the same way about her, she thought it was a safe bet. She knew a bit about his past so she had the upper hand in being aware he might not be ready to take the first step on his own. Who knew what was going through his head? He was probably just as conflicted as her, but was also being held back by his past trauma.</p><p>At dinner, he had opened up about his dad and even gotten her to open up. It felt like he was reaching out towards her, but trying to do so from a mile away. She could see in his eyes that he was in desperate need of letting his past go, but incapable of doing so.</p><p>She needed to find out if he was ready to move on. Unfortunately, there were no steps left in her scientific method except to take the plunge and make her intentions known. She had definitely been more forward with him today than she had been before, but she knew it would take more. Talking to him was too easy and being near him was too thrilling to ignore. She wouldn't hold back anymore.</p><p>Molly jumped up on the side of the tub and scared her, making her splash water everywhere. Apparently one drop must have touched Molly's fur coat because she gave her an indignant "meow" and then hopped back down. Blue realized the water was no longer hot and she needed to get out before her fingers and toes got even more pruney.</p><p>After drying off quickly and putting on her coziest pajamas, she laid down in her glorious bed with a new resolve for the upcoming weeks: let whatever was going to happen with Gael <em>happen</em>.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next few weeks flew by before Blue even had time to catch her breath. She began the onslaught of meetings that followed the first meeting with a meeting about how often they should have meetings from now on.</p><p>She loved her job more than anything and knew she was lucky to be living her dream, but sometimes the meetings constricted her soul like a boa trying to feed on her happiness. She got too frustrated sitting around making decisions, then someone would think of an issue so everyone had to rethink the entire scenario, then they would still arrive at the same decision as before. Knowing she could be getting her hands on some fabric and a sewing machine instead of taking notes for the fifteenth time about schedule changes that needed to be made is what truly tested her sanity. In the end, the meetings were important and she knew that, but she was ready to actually start creating something.</p><p>The next meeting she had was with all the other designers for the show. The set designer Eliza, lighting designer Natasha, hair and makeup designer Gigi, and master painter Derek all came together for a colors test to make sure they were all sticking to the same palette for continuity purposes. No one could show up with neon green when that wasn't a part of what everyone else was doing; it would not only look unprofessional but could also ruin the entire aesthetic of the show.</p><p>This was an important meeting and she was relieved to finally be moving forward in the process, but she was a little bummed that Gael didn't show up. He didn't really need to be there, but she still hoped to see him. Things were beginning to get so busy now that production was in full swing, so their paths hadn't crossed much. Occasionally she would pass him in the hall, or wave at him while he was meeting with someone in his office as she left the building. It was incredibly frustrating that they had a "<em>not-a-date</em>" and she resolved to move things forward with him if possible, but then life got in the way. He had texted her constantly; mostly small talk, inside jokes, or asking questions about the show. She could tell he was still trying to reach out, especially when he sent a photo of the sunrise from what she assumed was his apartment window, along with a text that said:</p><p>
  <em>Did yoga by myself this morning, well technically with YouTube...missed my yoga partner!</em>
</p><p>Oh how she wished she had the time, but their schedules never seemed to coordinate during the chaos of production. So, for now she worked her ass off.</p><p>"Blue, what do you think?" Gigi asked her as they were debating hair color options that would look best under the lights and also not clash with the costumes.</p><p>She had to pull herself out of pouting that Gael was not here to flirt with and answer the question. "I like the lighter brown, I think if you go too dark it will be lost on stage and just end up looking black. The script clearly says 'brunette', so a brunette she must be."</p><p>Everyone agreed and moved on. Blue checked that they were all using warm green tones so as not to clash with her ball costumes, especially since people tended to naturally lean towards greens that looked nothing close to the color of money which she was aiming for. Once everyone was on the same page, the meeting was adjourned and they all went their separate ways. On her way up to the costume shop to start checking through the stock patterns they had, she ran into Arjun.</p><p>"Hey, are we on for dinner tomorrow? You're supposed to cook this time." She had cooked mushroom Florentine for them last week and this week it was his turn. The deal was that one of them would cook and host at their apartment, and then they would switch the next week. This guaranteed they got at least one home-cooked meal per week during production and didn't completely live off of junk food and takeout.</p><p>"Yes and you won't believe what I have planned...let's just say you may want to skip lunch so you can eat as much as possible," Arjun teased.</p><p>"No way!" Blue said. "The trick is to eat an even bigger lunch so your stomach gets the warning ahead of time and starts planning. You can't just walk in unprepared!" Arjun laughed as she gave him a copy of the notes from the meeting she had just left and headed up the stairs.</p><p>The actors' dressing rooms were beginning to fill up since read-throughs would begin sometime in the next week. They were busy finishing the casting now, only a few minor parts left to fill. Blue was anxious to put faces to the characters she had been costuming in her head for a while now.</p><p>She headed straight to the costume shop and saw Kiara was already in there, patterns covering every surface of the work tables. "You've been busy!" Blue looked around the room as she sat her stuff down in the corner.</p><p>"Yeah, I wanted to lay them all out so we could go through everything to see what we have and what we need. I can't make a decision until I see all the options." Kiara waved at the sea of patterns in front of them.</p><p>Blue agreed, "me too. I like to see it all out in front of me so I can take my pick and maybe even have a few options, just in case I change my mind or want to splice two patterns together, you never know."</p><p>"Oh! Before we get started, you have to try this scone. I have been researching and I think I've discovered how to make them even better than the tea house. The trick is to not over-mix the dough, it makes it too tough and dry. You <em>want </em>lumpy dough! Isn't that crazy?" She handed a perfectly shaped blueberry scone to Blue, who gladly accepted it and immediately took a bite without hesitating; no sense in making her wait for the assessment.</p><p>Her eyes immediately opened wider and she mumbled through all the crumbs in her mouth, "there's lemon in it! I only expected the blueberries I could see on top here!"</p><p>Kiara looked impatient. "Yes, okay, the lemon addition was the proper amount, but what is the final verdict?"</p><p>Blue thought for a second, then decided on "delightful" and even added a thumbs-up as an extra sign of approval.</p><p>Kiara accepted her analysis and rewarded her with a second scone.</p><p>They turned their attention back to the patterns that were spread around them while they munched on their delightful treats. Kiara said she had noticed quite a few good options as she was laying them out, pointing at a pattern for a dress that looked awfully similar to Scarlett O'Hara's green floral barbecue dress in <em>Gone with the Wind. </em>Blue said, "I love the shape of this one, sans the ruffles of course for a few of Sarah's dresses. This one," she pointed to a pattern with a smaller skirt circumference, "will be great for her everyday outfit. More reasonable and similar to the common shape of a dress they would wear at home during that time period.” Kiara agreed and they started making a pile of usable patterns, while stacking the ones they decided were of no use to them back into the plastic tubs they were usually stored in.</p><p>After what seemed like an eternity, they finally had searched through every pattern and debated on which ones would work best. Kiara packed away the tubs while Blue laid out each one they would use so she could write the pattern number on its corresponding sketch in her notebook. They also opened each one up to make sure it wasn't missing any pieces or too well-loved from previous use to still be functional. The crinkling sound of the pattern paper was so reminiscent, it made Blue think of being in high school and sewing her prom dress from scratch. It was a mustard yellow off-the-shoulder tea dress made from vintage fabric she found at a local thrift shop in Dallas. It took her around four days to complete, and she worried the entire night that one of the seams would rip, but the silhouette was stunning and she was never more proud of anything she had made. Even her date, Bobby Thornton, said she looked "hott - with two T's" which for him was the best compliment he could muster.</p><p>She gave Kiara half the list of patterns they would still need to order online and let her begin researching that while she started her own research.</p><p>————</p><p>Two hours and two sore hands later, Blue was tired of searching on her computer for patterns that didn't exist. She would have to draft a couple of them on her own, which she didn't mind since it was part of the creative process she craved when she took this job. Deciding to take a break, she stood up to go walk around the theater and see what everyone else was up to.</p><p>She found Natasha and Ken next door working together on figuring out how they would fit the soundboard and light board all together inside the tiny booth in the balcony.</p><p>"Hey guys, what's up?" Blue asked, pointing to all the boxes on the ground.</p><p>Natasha answered, "we just got a huge shipment of equipment in and neither of us wants to open up all the boxes. So we are ignoring our problems and pretending they will disappear magically. You?"</p><p>"Same. I'd love to focus on your problem for a while if that's okay? I can pretend I ordered all of this for myself and each box is full of new shoes." Blue grabbed a sharp box cutter off the table next to her.</p><p>"Be our guest, just make sure you don't ruin the boxes in case we have to send something back," Ken said.</p><p>"Done!" she agreed and began carefully cutting open the first box.</p><p>She chatted with them while she cut and learned that Natasha was a photographer before she moved into lighting design.</p><p>"Wow, what made you take that leap?" Blue asked.</p><p>"I mean I still take photographs, mostly of my friends and family at gatherings and holidays. But I kind of lost my passion for it, especially as a small business owner and people always complaining about literally everything. The hours that go into the prep, then the actual shoot, and then the unrelenting editing process...it was just too much. Lighting the subject was always my favorite part and no one wants interesting or artistic light, they only want whatever makes their skin look smooth or their bellies flat. So I went back to school and paid my way with wedding gigs. And now here I am arguing with Ken about where I'm going to put my light board." She gave Ken a piercing look and he just tapped his foot while looking the other way.</p><p>Blue laughed at them as she piled all the bubble wrap together into one of the boxes so they could still find it if they needed to ship something back. "And what about you Ken, have you always been a sound guy?"</p><p>"I guess you could say that. I was in a band for ten years and I was always the one to set us up at every gig. So it just made sense to keep doing that when the band broke up."</p><p>Blue and Natasha just stared at him, mouths hanging open. Then they looked at each other and small smiles grew on their faces. The onslaught of questions almost knocked Ken off his chair; obviously he wasn't expecting such an uproar from his previous statement.</p><p>After ten minutes they had already convinced him to let them watch two videos on his phone, both digitized from VHS footage taken in the 1990s. They began humming along, learned the name of every member of Arcanum, and were instantly their newest number one fans.</p><p>Natasha was shaking her head, "Ken I can't believe you were in a 90's grunge band, it just makes so much sense now that I think about it though..."</p><p>"Wait. Please tell me you guys are getting back together for a reunion show? Blue asked. “I will personally stand on the street and sell tickets and I'll even style your wardrobe. Natasha, you'll do the lights right?" Blue begged her.</p><p>"I would never let another soul touch my light board, so that's a yes."</p><p>Ken chuckled at their pleading, "no no no, the guys haven't played in twenty years! I mean we still occasionally get together for barbecues with our wives and kids, but we are so out of practice, I don't think they would ever go for it." He rummaged around in his desk for a cord, trying to pretend like he was too busy to talk about this anymore.</p><p>His words said 'no' but his eyes said 'yes' so Blue decided to lay out one final offer for him. "If you talk to the guys and they are game, I swear to you that I will make sure this happens. And it will be amazing. And only as big as you guys want it to be."</p><p>"Yeah sure fine, I'll mention it to them - if I even see them any time soon - but don't go around blabbing about this to the whole crew, okay? I don't need everyone asking me to see the videos when I'm trying to get some work done over here." He waved at the giant pile of equipment Blue had just unpacked as evidence of the amount of work he had to do.</p><p>Natasha said seriously, "Blue if you make this happen I will get t-shirt's made and we can hand them out to everyone."</p><p>Blue smiled, "consider it done! Oh and don't forget to photograph the event, we will want documentation when they get inducted into the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame." Natasha laughed and agreed, adding that she could even turn the prints into posters for the true fans.</p><p>She left them to their work and headed downstairs to get some food from the break room. Someone had brought in donuts that morning and she hoped there would miraculously still be some left.</p><p>As soon as she walked in the door, Gael was sitting at the table eating takeout and going over some papers in a green folder. When he saw her walk in he smiled a huge smile that stopped her in her tracks. She didn't think it was possible his smile could be as divine as it always seemed in her mind when she would think about him, but then there he was showing her that it was, in fact, even better.</p><p>She walked over to him and immediately sat down, staring at him intently. "I have a very serious question to ask you, and you better tell me the truth."</p><p>He looked slightly concerned, while slightly intrigued. "Okay..." one of his eyebrows arched up and he closed his folder to give her his full attention.</p><p>She leaned in a little closer to him and lowered her voice, "did you know that Ken was in a '90s grunge band named Arcanum and not tell me?"</p><p>The look on his face was absolutely priceless. At first, he was so confused that he did nothing but squint his eyes at her and try to deduce if she was joking. Then the information sunk in and his eyes started opening wider in disbelief.</p><p>"Because if you say you already knew that he was in fact in a band, and did not share that knowledge, there will be hell to pay." Blue sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. That morning she had chosen a white linen button-down shirt that she tied together at her waist and some comfy ripped jeans. She watched his eyes dart down to where they were probably getting a good view from where she had left the top couple of buttons undone. He looked back up at her with a smirk, not even trying to hide the fact that he just checked her out.</p><p>"First of all, I'm appalled that you honestly think I wouldn't immediately inform you if I was aware of such information." He feigned indignation and shook his head at her while still smirking. "Second, is there photographic evidence of this glorious news?"</p><p>"Even better." Her sly smile grew and she leaned back in towards him to say, "there's not only one, but <em>two </em>videos recorded on VHS for the world to see. Natasha and I are trying to convince him to do a reunion show. Hopefully our cunning resilience will get him to talk to 'the guys' and they will agree to let us stage the entire thing for him. It might be a nice opening week celebration, don't you think?"</p><p>He considered it for a minute and said, "actually yeah, it would be nice to do something different than the typical party where everyone goes to a bar and just stands around. No one ever has much fun anyway, so I'm up for doing something more interesting. Did he seem open to the idea?"</p><p>She got up and walked over to the fridge to begin rummaging around for a snack, hoping to find the yogurt she left in there yesterday since the donuts were apparently all gone. "Well, he didn't say no...I'm pretty confident in my ability to convince him. I can be very persuasive." Bending over to look behind a dozen half-empty takeout boxes, she heard Gael mutter from behind her, "I'm sure you can be..."</p><p>Her jeans didn't cost $149.99 for no reason, they hugged her curves exactly like she paid for them to.</p><p>She stood up and turned around, yogurt in hand, and Gael looked disappointed his view was gone. He continued, "if he's up for it then I say why not. We can do it here in the theater on our first dark day, the following Monday after opening night. Now we just have to convince Malik, after you convince Ken, after he convinces his bandmates."</p><p>"Perfect, not a problem." Blue crooned. "Now I have to swear you to secrecy, he said he didn't want the entire crew to bug him about seeing the videos while he had work to do."</p><p>Gael zipped his lips and locked them with an imaginary key. He handed it to Blue and she pretended to take it and stick it in her pocket. "Never know when I might need that."</p><p>He smiled his big warm smile at her and said, "I feel like I haven't seen you at all since our...you know, since we...when you made me do yoga with you and then I made you eat ramen with me." His stumbling made Blue's pulse quicken; he was normally so smooth, but he must have also been wondering if it was a date or not, as she had been.</p><p>"Yeah it's so ridiculously busy around here right now - always is during production. I swear it seems like every time I see you there are at least five people waiting to ask you questions, or they already <em>are</em> bombarding you with questions all at the exact same time."</p><p>A small laugh escaped his lips and he rubbed his face in exhaustion. "That's actually not far from the truth. At least as of today I think we are fully casted! We just filled the last parts, so that's why I asked everyone to leave me alone for a while so I could eat in peace for once."</p><p>Blue froze mid-bite, spoon hanging out of her mouth. She quickly swallowed her last bite of yogurt and said, "oh my God, Gael I'm so sorry I didn't know! You should have told me to leave!"</p><p>The sheepish look in his eyes gave away the fact that he was actually happy she was there with him. "No! I didn't mean you! It's totally fine, really, I'm glad you came in. I like talking with you." He was staring straight at her and she began to get uncomfortable. She didn't know what to say. Although she was thrilled to hear him say those words, she didn't want to come across insincere in her response. She decided to just let herself genuinely smile, take the compliment and let it sit for a second. Forcing herself to look back into his eyes she said, "I like chatting with you too."</p><p>His smile grew even larger, if that was possible. He added, "I mean if I had to choose one person to interrupt my lunch, it would have been 90's Ken dressed in flannel and here to serenade me. But you're definitely a close second."</p><p>Thank God for his sense of humor.</p><p>"Honestly I would pick 90's Ken over me too, it's a good choice." She stood up to throw her trash away and said, "unfortunately though I have to get back to Kiara or she's going to think I've abandoned her. We need to be prepared for taking everyone's measurements at the first read-through in a few days. I'm actually excited to finally get started, know what I mean? Start making everything come to life."</p><p>"Yeah, the first read-through is always an amazing experience. Especially when it's your words that are coming out of everyone's mouth, it is so surreal to hear them put their spin on things and turn the characters into real people." His eyes didn't match his words; they sounded excited and hopeful, but his eyes looked anxious.</p><p>"It's going to be great, you do know that right?" she asked.</p><p>He shrugged and stood up to put his leftovers in the fridge with the other dozen leftovers. She walked over to him and put her hand on his arm, gently grabbing his attention.</p><p>"Look, I can't even imagine what's riding on your shoulders right now, but know this: your play will be phenomenal. No one starts this journey not aiming for huge success, I know that. But I'm telling you it will be more than that." He looked down at her hand on his arm for just a split second, then back up to her eyes. "It will make a difference and change mindsets. It will get people thinking and make them start conversations they wouldn't have had otherwise. They'll talk about it with friends at dinner or ask their partners what they think. So go into the read-through knowing it's only the beginning and this team is going to make sure it's as revolutionary as it was meant to be."</p><p>She squeezed his arm lightly, then let go and turned to walk away.</p><p>"Hey..."</p><p>She looked back at him, still frozen where he was standing.</p><p>"Thanks. Like I said before, I don't know why but when I hear those things coming from you it seems more convincing than from anyone else." Blue could feel that silvery cord between them weave another thread in as it grew even stronger.</p><p>She looked at him and winked, "I told you, I can be very persuasive."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Chapter 12</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first read-through was finally underway, and the excitement in the theater was tangible. You could feel it course through the air as clearly as the adrenaline was coursing through everyone's veins. They were all ready to finally get a glimpse of what to expect from Gael's story, and what to expect from the actors portraying that story.</p><p>The read-through was important to the show because it brought the entire cast together for the first time. Everyone got to know each other and start creating the bond that would solidify over the many months they would be working together. Finally hearing the script read out loud was magical for everyone beginning their immersion into their characters, allowing them to start bouncing off each other's performance as they went through the story. They would also be able to hear the preliminary music tracks for the songs in the show, something that was highly anticipated by the cast and crew alike. The director Julian would be able to listen to the actor's interpretations of their characters, really get a sense of if they agreed on the direction they wanted that character to go. He would get to explain his vision for the show and have Gael there to bounce ideas and questions off of too.</p><p>As a whole, everyone benefited from the first read-through, but not just practically speaking; it also got everyone extremely motivated. The seed of excitement would be planted and begin to grow.</p><p>Blue came in early that day to set up in the upstage right corner. The crew didn't have much to do with read-throughs, except most of the head designers liked to be there to experience it and get a full vision of the show to help with their work. She and Kiara, however, also needed to take advantage of the entire cast being held hostage in one spot so they could wrangle everyone up to get their measurements without missing anyone. It was much easier than trying to schedule individual measurement appointments - actors weren't known for their punctuality.</p><p>The read-through would take place on the stage with a similar set up to the meetings they previously had there, long tables set up into a giant square so everyone could hear and see each other. This square, however, was much bigger than before to accommodate the entire cast. Since it almost took up the entire stage, Blue only had a little space for Kiara to sit and write the numbers while she had the actors stand on a small apple box so she could get their measurements easier. She kept a stool nearby too since she was all of five feet tall and would most likely have trouble reaching the taller cast members. Her tape measure was given to her by her Aunt Millie as a stocking stuffer at Christmas when she was still in high school. It had been with her through each show she's ever done, a good luck charm if she needed one.</p><p>As all the actors filed in, some looking like they just rolled out of bed and others dressed to show their supposed status, Blue began to get excited. The diversity was inspiring and the casting seemed thoughtful. She couldn't wait to put faces to the names she had been reading in the script for so long, and see the different shapes and sizes of the canvases she would get to create on.</p><p>When Gael came in, he didn't see her over in the corner. He walked around and talked to everyone, easily blending with each crowd as a chameleon blended with his surroundings. Everyone he talked to seemed to be enraptured by everything he said, they gave him their attention freely and completely. He was the creator and the lead actor, so he really was like a captain talking to his soldiers. They all seemed to support him and already were prepared to follow him into battle.</p><p>Still, she noticed he was so different with them than he was around her. He wasn't necessarily stiff or unyielding, his job literally required him to be emotionally open to everyone in this room in order to share the stage with them. But there was something she couldn't quite place that was different about him. He held himself back just the tiniest bit. His eyes had the smallest layer of protection up against what was really going on inside. It was interesting to watch him interact with other women and notice he didn't turn off his charm completely, but it wasn't blaring and bold like he normally was with her.</p><p>As she observed him in his natural habitat, a small smile grew on her lips. She felt the thrill of seeing first-hand proof that he truly did feel something different for her, to what extent she hadn't reached a conclusion yet, but it was nominal enough for her to plainly see in front of her.</p><p>He suddenly looked up from his conversation with Malik and saw her smiling at him. She immediately blushed the lightest shade of pink, most likely invisible to him across the stage.</p><p>Oh good, she was in middle school again apparently.</p><p>He gave her a quick but brilliant grin, staring right into her eyes from thirty feet away. Her smile grew for him, then she abruptly turned around to start rummaging through her bag for the measurement sheets she had printed for today's work. She wanted to seem as though she was really busy and couldn't stare at him all day...although they both knew that wasn't true.</p><p>As she looked at the papers and saw the body shape with lines drawn from each measuring point, it then dawned on her she would have to take Gael's measurements too. As in, touch all over his body, in some very interesting places. Right there in front of everyone.</p><p>"Geez, Blue, pull yourself together. You're an actual professional, for crying out loud. This is your job..." she murmured to herself.</p><p>"Huh?" Kiara asked. "Did you say something?"</p><p>"Nope! Totally fine, I'm totally normal. Everything is fine and I'm a professional and it's all good." She walked over to the food table that craft services had set out to see if she could find some coffee to drink instead of standing there overthinking her situation.</p><p>As she began to pump the steaming black liquid out of the carafe, someone stood closely behind her and said, "don't judge me for the lack of good coffee today, it was made from cheap grounds bought simply to feed the masses."</p><p>Blue jumped slightly, not expecting him to speak so closely to her ear. "Yeah well it's still hot! Don't scare me, if I burn my fingers you'll be out a costume designer, yet again. Better be careful." She smiled over her shoulder then slid down the table to add cream and a ton of sugar. He followed her and reached for her hand before she had picked up any packets, taking it into his and inspecting it closely.</p><p>"Hmm...looks perfect to me? Completely unharmed." Then he kissed the back of her hand quickly, right on her knuckles. "That's for good luck today. You're going to need it, getting all these actors to file over to you in an orderly fashion." The look of amusement on his face made him even more attractive as he turned around and left her there, hand still tingling from his touch. She finally snapped out of her stupor and finished making her coffee, then slowly shuffled back over to her corner.</p><p>Kiara was waiting for her with a confused look on her face. "Did Gael just kiss your hand? Or was I just transported back in time to eighteenth-century England, yet completely unaware of my time travel?"</p><p>Blue looked bewildered, "No, he definitely did...with no time travel necessary, apparently."</p><p>Kiara nodded and said, "ah that makes perfect sense actually," and then went right back to her work, continuing to write each actor's name on the measurement sheets in preparation.</p><p>"Wait, what? It makes sense? How?" Blue whispered to her as she sat down next to her.</p><p>Kiara looked at her like she should know what she meant. "Because he obviously has a thing for you, I thought you knew that? No...you do know that. I see the way you look at him too," she said matter-of-factly as she kept writing.</p><p>Blue laughed nervously, "what are you even talking about?" she said while trying to act as nonchalant as possible.</p><p>The impatient look she received from Kiara told her that she knew too much, somehow, and that there was no use in trying to deny it. "I'm an observer, you can't hide anything from me. Especially you two, might as well plaster a giant poster on your foreheads that announces it - no wait, you don't even need to do that, it's actually just that obvious."</p><p>"Okay well maybe to you, but I'm hoping it's not to literally everyone else that works in this theater, so please keep your voice down!" Blue hushed her as she stood up and dragged her into the stage right wings so they couldn't be overheard so easily.</p><p>"Why do I feel like I'm about to get a lecture." Kiara folded her arms and raised one eyebrow at Blue.</p><p>"No, listen, all I'm asking is for us to just take a second, okay? It's not that obvious, at least I don't believe so, and I don't think he knows what he wants to do - or if he even wants to do anything about it. So. Let's just keep this to ourselves for now, because he's kind of our boss and it would be weird. Or maybe nothing will ever come of it anyway so, yeah...I'm a professional and I'll be fine."</p><p>Blue stared up at her, waiting impatiently for a response.</p><p>"Blue, I have absolutely no desire to do anything here, but my job. Whatever happens in other people's love lives is of no concern to me." Kiara really seemed to not be too worried about the thing that had kept Blue up at night for weeks.</p><p>Sighing in relief, Blue began to thank her but was interrupted by Gael.</p><p>"Hey we are ready to start, can I send Ally over to you guys first?" he asked.</p><p>"YES," Blue said way too loudly. Kiara looked at her and shook her head.</p><p>Gael gave her a funny look and said, "okay, cool." He left them alone in the wings to go tell Ally she could head over to get measured.</p><p>Kiara said, "wow...you're so doomed." She walked away and left Blue standing there wondering why she was suddenly so nervous. She was the one that had decided to pursue Gael, be the one to push things forward, and see where he is ready to take things. Why did she keep falling into this pit of awkwardness? For some reason when they were alone she could be bold, but when others were involved suddenly she felt shy and weird. She really liked him but knew it was complicated; she didn't like anyone else being involved because it made things even more complicated. She knew Arjun already had made jokes, but wasn't sure what he really thought. And now Kiara. The uneasy feeling began to bubble in her chest.</p><p>Blue snapped herself out of this spiral, literally stomping her foot and telling herself to stop. Anxiety be damned, this wasn't the time to take a nose-dive into the abyss. She had a job to do and she would do it well. She built up the wall inside her, brick by brick, and took a deep breath. Then another.</p><p>Feeling confident enough to go out there and be her normal self, she grabbed her tape measure out of her back pocket and walked out with a smile on her face.</p><p>————</p><p>As they made their way through the actors, Blue began to forget her worries from before. She was thrilled to get to meet the actors finally and chat with them for a minute while taking their measurements. They all seemed incredibly talented and fit their parts perfectly, in her opinion at least. Her and Kiara kept saying how much fun they were going to have dressing them all, the most beautifully eclectic cast she had ever worked with.</p><p>They especially loved Kalani who would be playing the lead female role of Sarah. She was a beautiful woman, but her personality was even better. She had Kiara and Blue laughing the entire time she was getting measured. It was obvious why they cast her as Sarah; she was supposed to be a dynamic woman, a hustler stuck in a world where men were at war with each other. Kalani was going to step into that role easily, filling Sarah with the passion and drive that she was written to have.</p><p>"...and then I told him to shove that pickup line up his ass and ask his mom to clean it out for him next time she gave him a bubble bath!" Kalani exclaimed as Blue finished up measuring her arm.</p><p>All three of them were laughing so hard they disturbed the read through that was still going on behind them. Someone cleared their throat and they quieted down, still trying to hold in the giggles like school girls.</p><p>"Okay, I think that's all I need for you. Thanks for putting up with us invading your personal space. Hey, at least I kept my hands to myself more than that guy did though!" </p><p>They all laughed again and Kalani said, "I better leave you guys alone before we all get kicked out of the theater for disrupting the show." She winked and walked back over to her seat.</p><p>"Well she's going to be a perfect Sarah," Kiara noted as she stapled Kalani's measurements sheet to the back of Sarah's costume sketches.</p><p>"I know, I can almost see her in that green dress right now. It's going to look phenomenal on her, I think she can really handle how audacious it is too. The dress won't wear her, she will totally own it and make it her bitch." Blue loved being around other feisty and strong women. It was like fuel for her fire and made her want to conquer the world together.</p><p>"You're right, she will pull it off like no one else could. Do you feel like you could overthrow a monarchy right now? She made me feel like I could take over a small country or something."</p><p>Blue nodded slowly. "Definitely. At least commandeer a ship, that seems within my grasp at the moment. I think she would go with us too, hop right on board and help lead the way. If only more women in this business were like that, we could show these men how it's really done, and make some waves doing it too."</p><p>At that moment Arjun walked over and said, "hey, what are you guys talking about?" Apparently Julian had called for a quick break, so he came over to chat with Blue.</p><p>"Oh nothing, just taking over the world, that's all. How's your day been going over in your corner of the stage?"</p><p>"Pretty good, actually. The read-through has been running smoothly, not too many hiccups considering the possibility that we could have showed up today and realized we were all about to massively fail at this. But honestly, everyone is phenomenal and it's all kind of working together well." His face looked pleasantly surprised.</p><p>"Wait, I thought you told me this was going to be amazing from day one and that's why you wanted me to interview for the job?" she asked.</p><p>"Well of course I hoped it would be, but it's nice to know Gael is actually the absolute genius we all expected him to be." He spoke louder as Gael was walking over to them so he would hear him and laugh.</p><p>"Arjun, are you the one responsible for telling everyone I'm a genius and getting their hopes up?" He stopped next to him but looked at Blue, "don't you know I'm not the only genius around here?" The twinkle in his eye reminded her of their 'not-a-date' when he said he thought she was a genius too in response to her calling him one.</p><p>"Yeah, Arjun. Apparently we all are. Didn't you get the email?" Blue joked. "It was in the one where they said there were some conflicts with your budget for the costume department? Something about adding another fifty grand, I think that's what it was..."</p><p>"Ha! You wish. Don't try to get me to play favorites. You know I'd do anything for you, except change your budget. There is a line no one can cross," Arjun said as he started to turn around. He called over his shoulder to ask if she wanted a snack and then headed to go get in line for the food table to get them some granola bars.</p><p>Gael rubbed his hands together. "So can we get my measurements done while everyone is taking a break? That way I don't have to hold up the read through later."</p><p>Blue wasn't prepared, but didn't want to start over-thinking things, yet again, so she quickly said, "sure!" and headed over to the apple box.</p><p>"If you could take your shoes off and then stand up here, we'll try to get it done quickly so you can still grab a bite." She pointed at the box and he stepped up onto it. Starting into her normal speech she gave everyone, she said, "okay so first I'll start with your head circumference for hat size." She wrapped the tape around his head and finally felt the tiniest bit of his hair. From what she could tell, it was even softer than it looked. He wore it down today, leaving it loose and wild. It had grown to be a tad longer than chin length now, with a little bit of wave to it. He had been looking straight ahead, but then turned his eyes and looked directly at her eyes that were level with his, for once, since she was using her stool to reach him. Only a few inches away from him, she could feel his eyes sweep across her face.</p><p>She called out the number to Kiara and then looked into his eyes, unable to help herself. She let the tape go and slid it down to his neck. "Now I need this measurement to make sure we get your collars the right size. Wouldn't want them to be too tight and choke you, or too loose and look ridiculous."</p><p>She wrapped her arms around his neck to grab the other end of the tape and pulled it together. She could feel his heart beating fast under her skin where she was holding the tape together and called out the number to Kiara.</p><p>He gently bit his lip, just barely catching it with his teeth. She could tell he was as nervous as she was, as though this was anything other than a professional task one employee must perform with another. She stared at his lips for too long and then finally let the tape measure go and moved on to get his front shoulder width. She placed one end of the tape on his right shoulder and then had to pull the tape across his chest to his left shoulder. She could feel every muscle under his shirt tense as she swept her hand across them. Each breath he took she could feel him expand his chest and then let it fall.</p><p>She called out that number and then moved around to his back so she could get the same measurement for the back of his shoulders, "this way we know the shirts and jackets will fit perfectly." She was relieved to be out of his gaze for a second so she could regroup. She already wasn't doing well, and this was the easy part. It was only going to get more awkward from now on.</p><p>Moving off the stool she stepped to his side and asked him to bend his torso so she could find his waist. He bent to his left, towards her, and she had to feel around to find where the natural bend was. He began to laugh and said, "sorry, I'm trying to be still."</p><p>"It's okay, I think your natural waist is about right...here." She wrapped her hands around him and brought the tape measure together in the front, right above his belly button. Hesitating to call out the number to Kiara because she then would have to move down to his hips, she took a quick breath to try and clear her head. Catching his amazing scent not only didn't help, but made things ten times worse. She finally mumbled the number and started sliding the tape down his body. She had to feel where his hip bones were and look around in the back to make sure it was over the largest part of his ass.</p><p>Dear God, what she would give to be alone with him right now.</p><p>She called out the number and Gael said, "how did I do? Better than Jorge, I hope." He had a wicked smile on his face that calmed her nerves and she was again thankful for his perfect sense of humor.</p><p>"Oh so much better. Best ass yet I'd say, although there's still half the cast left so don't go engraving your trophy yet."</p><p>He faked a wince and put his hand on his heart. "Ouch. That one hurt."</p><p>"Not as much as this is going to. Spread your legs."</p><p>His eyebrows shot up and he looked pleased. "Wow, usually I have to buy a girl dinner first." He shifted his weight and moved his legs to be shoulder-width apart.</p><p>"Well, technically you already did. So here we are, the obvious next step of me measuring your inseam!" She wasted no time and immediately put one end of the tape measure at the top of the inseam of his jeans as he inhaled sharply. She pulled the rest of the tape down the inside of his thigh all the way to the floor. Then she moved around to the outside of his leg and measured from where his waist was down to the floor for his outseam.</p><p>"Okay, you're all done. Just make sure to tell Kiara your normal shirt size, weight, and height." She started rolling up the tape measure and he stepped off the box. As he started putting his shoes back on he told Kiara he was five feet and nine inches tall. Blue thought to herself that was a perfect height for her, not too tall but not too close to her own height.</p><p>Kiara sat her papers down, gave Blue an exasperated look, and headed over to the snack table.</p><p>"Thanks for doing this during break, I just really don't want to miss anything during the read-through." He looked like he wanted to ask her something.</p><p>"No problem at all. Is it going well? It sounds amazing from over here." She wondered if he was looking for her stamp of approval.</p><p>Apparently he was, because his eyes lit up when she said that. "Yeah, it's been pretty amazing to finally hear it all out loud. I mean, other than me reading it to myself in my apartment late at night when I was writing."</p><p>She laughed, "I completely understand. Well, I guess my situation is a little different, but still the same effect. When a real person finally puts on your creation that you've spent weeks making, there's absolutely nothing like that feeling."</p><p>Kiara and Arjun came back with granola bars, muffins, and multiple types of cookies in tow. Blue turned to them and said, "aww you guys really know how to spoil me! So many options!"</p><p>Gael said he better get back to his seat after Arjun handed him a granola bar and he thanked him.</p><p>As he walked away, Kiara rolled her eyes and looked at Blue, "can you name one of your babies after me? Middle name at least? Arjun can have the other middle name. Sound good?"</p><p>He looked back and forth between the two of them, then over to Gael.</p><p>"I'm sorry, what the hell just happened while I was getting snacks?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Chapter 13</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Being able to bring actual bolts of fabric back from the store was not only exciting, but it really was breathtaking to see all the colors and textures finally together in one place.</p><p>Blue and Kiara had spent a few days making purchases and bringing it all back to the costume shop. They lucked out and only one fabric they had chosen when swatching was nowhere to be found, but they easily replaced it thanks to the owner putting in a special order for them.</p><p>As they brought it all in, Blue was able to start lining the shelves and keeping it all organized just the way she liked. It was starting to look like a rainbow of <em>Nothing but Tombs' </em>color scheme lining the walls. Blue's and greens and creams, all cozy next to each other until they would be cut into pieces to make their costumes.</p><p>Julian, Malik, and Gael showed up first to see the fabrics come together and get a better sense of the color palette. Everyone was feeling all the textures and commenting on how, already, they could see the colors working together well with what Eliza had started on downstairs with the scenery.</p><p>"Do you think you'll have a problem with this one washing Kalani out on stage?" Julian asked about the pale cream linen Malik was holding.</p><p>"It shouldn't be an issue, I already checked with Natasha and she said she will make sure to work her magic with the lights so it isn't too hot on her during that scene. We are going to test it out in real-time either today or tomorrow, just to make sure. I think she's installing some of the lights as we speak." Blue showed him a photo on her phone of the bolt of fabric under similar lighting to what Natasha had planned to better explain what she meant. "I'll send you guys a photo in the group chat when we test it, or if you're around you can come and see for yourself. We might test a few others too, it's better to know now how they respond under the stage's lights before we start cutting."</p><p>Malik spoke up first, "thanks for showing all of this to us. As always, everything looks amazing. I can't wait to see this on Gael, especially," he said as he draped the green faille in front of him and said, "yeah, I might need a suit out of this too! What do you think, Julian?" They laughed at his jokes, but Blue couldn't help but think it really did look perfect on Gael. She was nervous since it was a bit risky and went against what others might have dressed him in, but seeing it on him now made her confident in her choice.</p><p>"That stuff is so expensive, we only bought exactly what we needed. You'll be lucky if we have enough scraps to make a bow tie," she joked.</p><p>"Oh my God, I would love to wear a bow tie on opening night! If you have the scraps to do it, I'll do anything to get you to make me one!" He pleaded with her, making Blue think about her words carefully.</p><p>"Okay...I'll see what I can do." She smiled coyly, "but you'll owe me one. And I will be able to collect at any time. Deal?"</p><p>"Deal!" he agreed and shook her hand.</p><p>"Oh boy..." Gael laughed at the two of them and gave Malik a heavy look. "I have a feeling you don't know what you just agreed to, my friend. She's a sly one, and if I know what she's going to ask of you...well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see."</p><p>"Wait, huh? What do you mean?" Malik looked back and forth between Gael and Blue.</p><p>"Oh nothing, don't worry about it!" Blue smiled and tried to change the subject quickly. "By the way, Kiara and I found something pretty amazing to complete John's costume," she said as she dug around in the drawer of her desk. Finally finding the small black box she was looking for, she handed it over to Gael with a look of anticipation, wondering if they would all like it as much as she had.</p><p>Gael opened it slowly, unsure of what to expect inside. When he saw the pocket watch it finally dawned on him what it was and why Blue intended for John to wear one. "It's amazing, Blue! Is it real? It feels real." He turned it over in his hands, running his fingers across the engraving of the young man and woman on the cover.</p><p>"Yes, well supposedly it's real. It didn't come with documents so I got an insanely good price, but based on Kiara's recent research: it's real." She reached over and opened the cover, pointing inside at the inscription. "It says, '<em>To Jon, From Sara'. </em>I mean what are the odds! I know they're spelled differently, but still. It's totally insane and has to be good luck, right? We didn't even notice that when we bought it and only saw it once we got it back to the shop!"</p><p>Everyone had gathered around Gael and was staring at the watch. The excitement started in Malik who agreed this had to be a good sign of things to come. Julian said, "it will be perfect for the scene when he's arguing with Sarah! It's brilliant, Blue!"</p><p>She looked at Gael who was just smiling at her while everyone around them was talking over each other. He quietly said, "it's perfect, thank you," so that only she could hear.</p><p>Blue was happy she listened to her gut and forced Kiara to go into the antique store that day. She felt it was a great addition, but knowing everyone else thought so too helped fuel her fire to start finally putting together costumes and seeing her creations come to life.</p><p>Gael asked, "can I use it during rehearsals?"</p><p>"Of course," she said, "it's all yours! Just don't lose it or you'll have to hunt down a Civil War-era antique watch originally inscribed with your characters' names on it in order to properly replace it. So good luck with that."</p><p>"Oh I have no doubt I couldn't even begin to find such a treasure, I'm here for the words, not the magic. I'll leave that up to you." Gael was pushing Malik out of the room to force him to move on to their next task, as Julian followed them out. Right before he was out of the doorway, Gael turned around and winked at her, making her heart flutter. She hoped no one noticed.</p><p>The next crowd to come and see the fabrics were the other designers. Eliza was so excited to see the colors and immediately fell in love with the fabric she wanted used on the sets too.</p><p>"This will go wonderfully with the wood stain Jin has been using for the chairs. Do you think you could take a little time to upholster it for him? It doesn't have to be perfect, but Jin will make a mess of it. He's a master with a saw, but incapable of delicate things such as this."</p><p>Blue had so much work to get started on, but she wanted to help. And she wanted it to look good. "Sure, I think I can stay late some time in the next few days and get it done. Shouldn't take me more than an hour or two right?"</p><p>"Wonderful! Yes there are only two chairs that I decided to have him make for me, and Derek can replicate the color with paint in other areas during that scene. Thank you darling!"</p><p>The rest of her costume department crew would be coming in at this stage, finally able to start working on their projects. She had a cutter and two stitchers that were hired to help build the costumes and make the work go quicker. It wasn't the largest cast in the history of theater, but there was plenty of work and she was grateful for the extra hands. The cutter's name was Rylie; she seemed to be a perfectionist and her very first question to Blue was about how she wanted to make sure the patterns were cataloged correctly after each use; she would fit in quite well.</p><p>Blue worked with Rylie for a while, going over everything and explaining what they would need. She was very happy to see the to-do list on a chalkboard that Blue had added to the workshop's wall.</p><p>"All you have to do is this section here for today, ” Blue said as she pointed to a box marked ‘cutter to-do list’, “that will be plenty to keep you busy. Cross it off as you go so we will all be able to keep track of what's going on with each other, plus it's amazing to see how much we have already accomplished on a tough day. Oh and feel free to add anything you think of along the way, I'm sure we missed stuff here and there." Blue crossed off '<em>show production team fabrics</em>' and put the chalk down, dusting her hands together. "I'll be out looking for hats today, but Kiara will be here if you have any questions. Or always feel free to call me. My number is on top of the board here, I'm always available for anything you might need. Pattern numbers, sizing decisions, need a burrito because you're hungry - whatever. I'm happy to help!"</p><p>Rylie laughed nervously and said, "oh I don't think I'd ever eat a burrito around the fabrics, I'd hate to spill anything on them."</p><p>"Right. Better stick to bananas instead. At least they don't stain!" She patted Rylie on the shoulder and left, thinking to herself she would have to turn down the sarcasm with her. She seemed like a very literal person who might not get Blue's sense of humor. In fact, she was probably making a mental note to only bring bananas for lunch from now on.</p><p>She left the theater to go shopping for hats since they would need quite a few men's hats and maybe even some women's, although a few of those she thought she could make herself. She also needed to get supplies for dinner tonight, it was her turn to cook for Arjun and she wasn't sure what she wanted to make as of yet.</p><p>On her way, her phone started ringing and Aunt Millie's face popped up on the screen. She immediately answered and said, "good Lord woman, are you <em>finally</em> done traveling the world and back in the great country of Texas yet? I'm getting tired of talking to your voicemail."</p><p>Aunt Millie scoffed, "Bonnie Mae, how dare you question me and my last-minute decision to fly off to Europe for three months? I had a very serious condition, you know. The doctors diagnosed me with the travel bug, there's absolutely no cure except to just go and drink wine in Italy until you can't see your feet anymore."</p><p>"And? Are you cured?" Blue asked.</p><p>"Thoroughly. I have had enough of the European lifestyle and I'm ready to be home in good ol' Texas, indefinitely. Well...at least for a few months. I already booked a cruise with my girlfriends to Mexico, but that doesn't really count. Might could even fit you in my stateroom if you have the time? I got us a suite big enough."</p><p>Blue smiled to herself as she walked towards her subway stop. "Wish I could, but we are finally starting production and things are fixin' to get real busy. I'm actually headed to a costume shop to look for more than a dozen hats for all the men. Maybe some women's hats too, although I figure I can just make them myself if I can't find what I like." She could literally hear her accent coming back with a vengeance. It always did, every single time she spoke to Aunt Millie it would creep up on her and before she knew it that drawl would overtake her speech.</p><p>"Oh of course, I figured you might be busy living the city life, but thought I'd offer just in case." Aunt Millie always said she was '<em>living the city life</em>' even though Dallas was the ninth largest city in the U.S. and so she was also '<em>living the city life</em>'.</p><p>"Well that's nice of you to think of me. So how was your trip? See any good wonders of the world?"</p><p>She told Blue all about how her uncle could only stay for the first week, so she had to fly out all her girlfriends to keep her company. They went to a wine tasting every other day in Italy and ate so much pasta she didn't think she could eat another bite of it for the rest of her life. That was a lie. Then in France, they drank champagne by the Eiffel Tower and danced in the streets with some '<em>very nice young French gentlemen</em>'. She loved England the most since she was an anglophile and adored their history more than any other country's. The museums and landmarks were where she spent most of her days, feeding her ex-historian hunger to full capacity.</p><p>"I may be retired, but that doesn't mean I have to stop learning, you know."</p><p>"Oh I know Aunt Millie...hey I'm going to have to let you go, I'm at the store so I better quit talking to you and focus on these hats."</p><p>"No problem, I got a chili cooking downstairs that needs stirring anyways. Love you darlin' and keep showing 'em who's boss up there in Yankee land."</p><p>Blue rolled her eyes, "yes ma'am. And hey, text me your chili recipe again, it's been a while since I made it and I might have lost the ingredients list."</p><p>At least Blue finally had her dinner idea.</p><p>————</p><p>After shopping for hats and settling on ordering some pretty good looking Civil War replicas, she headed to the only Mexican grocery store she could find somewhat close to her. She had to take the subway all the way down to Grand Central Station, and even then she still had to walk a couple blocks.</p><p>She didn't mind the trip though, not being a native New Yorker meant she was still always giddy walking through the enormous main concourse and seeing the famous room that had been in almost a hundred films. She loved walking down the stairs and staring out into the vast sea of people, all so busy and distracted with their own paths. It was moments like this that it would really sink in, this broken girl from Texas had really made it all the way to New York to live out her dream. She had picked up the pieces of her suffering and made something out of them. Today she felt especially grateful, having the biggest job in her life so far and being surrounded by some truly great people.</p><p>As she exited the building onto 42nd Street then headed south on Park Avenue, she thought about how lucky she was that she had people who cared enough about her to push her forward. Her parents instilled in her from an early age that she could be whatever she wanted to be. Aunt Millie had been the one to help her realize her dream of working in theater could be possible. Arjun was always her number one fan and honestly helped her survive college. And even now, Gael always made a point to encourage her and make her feel like her work was valued.</p><p>She found La Tortuguita Dorada and headed inside, oddly feeling homesick and happy all at the same time. The girl behind the counter smiled at her and said, "¡<em>Hola</em>!" as she bent over to pick up a shopping basket. Blue waved at her and headed straight for the back of the store, where she knew they kept the masa harina. She got a small bag and then headed for the dried chiles.</p><p>She knew she wanted to at least get pasilla and ancho peppers, but if they had guajillo peppers in stock she would get those too. She felt each dried pepper to make sure they were still flexible, checked to make sure they still had a sheen to them, and then smelled them to see if they were fresh. As she was stuffing her basket full of peppers, she noticed they had a jar of freshly ground cumin for sale so she grabbed that too.</p><p>As she was checking out, the girl asked what she was making.</p><p>"<em>Chili con carne</em> - you guys have the best selection of peppers in all of New York so I always come here for all my chile needs," she said as she held up her bag of peppers.</p><p>The girl smiled and said, "yes we hear that often, sometimes the organic grocery stores try to have good stock on peppers, but we still always have them beat." She beamed with pride as she handed Blue her receipt.</p><p>She thanked her and headed back to her apartment to start cooking now since it needed a few hours for the flavor to really develop the way she wanted it to.</p><p>————</p><p>Arjun had arrived at Blue's apartment exhausted from a long day of meetings and budgets, so they had decided to simply sit on the couch and watch one of their favorite shows while the chili finished cooking. It was nice to space out for a while and let their brains rest, not having to focus on anything but the TV in front of them.</p><p>When Blue finally couldn't stand to smell the chili any longer without actually eating it, she got up and headed to the kitchen. Molly headed that way too, to make sure she got her well deserved treat for doing her part of keeping them both warm on the couch. After emptying a bag of Fishy Feast treats and making a note to buy more, Blue stirred the thick chili and could tell just by the way it looked and felt as her spoon passed through the liquid that it was ready.</p><p>Arjun came into the kitchen and pulled the cornbread out of the oven for Blue as she was chopping onions at the counter.</p><p>"Do you want it on the table like this, or should I plate it?" he asked as he began cutting it into slices.</p><p>"No, don't make any more dirty dishes, it will take me three days to get that stockpot clean! I don't need any extra work," she chuckled as she grabbed the sour cream out of the fridge.</p><p>They finally sat down and started scooping chili into their bowls, just the smell of it making both their mouths water as they added their desired toppings.</p><p>She took her first bite, "oh my God it's still so hot, but so good."</p><p>Arjun closed his eyes and said, "the flavor is so deep. I can't believe how good it is." He just sat there chewing and savoring each bite for a minute.</p><p>"So how are things on your end? Everything on schedule and on budget?" Blue asked.</p><p>"Nope, not at all. So far the first rehearsal has already been pushed back a day, and some of the existing sound equipment needed replacing, which was an unexpected cost. But it's all fine, things like this start happening and it just snowballs until it's all out of control - unless you have me at the helm. I'll keep everyone on track." The look he gave her made her believe he was truly capable of keeping them all in line. If anyone could do it, he could. "And you, have you been able to start cutting yet?"</p><p>"Yeah actually Rylie was getting started on that today. She seems like she will fit right in, very precise and detail-oriented." She offered him another slice of cornbread.</p><p>"So...I've been avoiding asking this, but I don't think I can any longer." Arjun looked like an interrogator about to question his suspect, making Blue a little nervous.</p><p>"Okay...what is it?" she asked.</p><p>"Exactly what is going on between you and Gael? And don't lie to me, I was there the day you two met, remember? I saw the fireworks with my own eyes, I might as well have released the doves myself." He tapped his fingers on the table, impatiently waiting for her to answer him truthfully.</p><p>Well hells bells...at least she had avoided this for longer than expected.</p><p>She knew there was no use in trying to brush past the subject, he would give her the third degree until she cracked under the pressure, so she might as well give in now.</p><p>"I don't even know..." she said as she slumped back into her chair, exasperated at having to try and explain the situation when she wasn't sure about anything herself.</p><p>She began telling him that at first he flirted with her incessantly, so she thought maybe he was like that with everyone.</p><p>Arjun said, "sure, he is a very...<em>passionate</em> guy, but I don't see him ever blatantly flirt with anyone. Never."</p><p>Then she admitted that she noticed he seemed to be attracted to her, "like sometimes the way he looks at me I can tell he is holding himself back for some reason. We have had a few moments, but nothing has ever come from them. It just makes it all even more confusing."</p><p>"Why is it confusing? He likes you, you like him. Done. There's no confusion, only two people that need to get over it and take out some serious frustration with each other..." Arjun raised his eyebrow and looked at her knowingly, getting his point across very clearly.</p><p>Blue buried her face in her hands, mostly in exasperation, but also a little from embarrassment. She wasn't sure why she felt so awkward when her feelings for Gael were brought up. She had never been like this before, usually she owned her sexuality and didn't let anything stand in her way. What was it about this situation that made her act like Arjun was asking her about the boy in class that wrote her a note, instead of two adults being attracted to each other?</p><p>A very tiny thought popped into her head, it barely was big enough to take root, but it was there. She wondered if, perhaps, it was because it was more than just physical attraction that was tangled up with her and Gael? Maybe, she was starting to actually like him? Was it possible to be sexually confident, but emotionally insecure?</p><p>Nope - she clamped the lid on the emotions that were threatening to boil over. She needed to divert the conversation to things she knew for sure were a part of the complications between her and Gael at the moment.</p><p>"I know he had a difficult past with Carrie, and Kiara confirmed that it did end badly - apparently she was working on that show with them, so she witnessed it first hand - but I just don't know what to do about it. If I make the first move, I feel like I might not be giving him the space he might still need. Or hell, I could be completely wrong about how he feels and then I'd be making a fool of myself, going after my boss-"</p><p>Arjun rolled his eyes and sighed heavily, "you're not wrong, it's plain to see he has it bad for you. And you're as obvious as he is, just so you know."</p><p>She felt a little thrill bubble up inside her hearing yet another person say they could clearly see that Gael felt something for her too. It wasn't one-sided.</p><p>"Yeah, well, for now I wait. It's too busy at the moment, you know that, and there's not been much opportunity for me to really make any grand gestures anyways. All we do is see each other at work, I mean other than yoga and the ramen restaurant..."</p><p>Arjun's eyes shot open wide and he exclaimed, "you went on a date? Why the hell didn't you tell me!"</p><p>"We did not go on a 'date' necessarily, it was more of a joke that turned into hanging out and...well it was definitely not officially deemed a date. And we haven't done anything since then, there's just too much going on. So I have nothing to report for now." She stood up and began picking up the empty bowls off the table. "As soon as anything changes, I'll let you know. Or you could just ask Kiara since apparently she's as adept at reading the situation as you are. She might even know something before I do," she joked as she walked into the kitchen, arms full of dishes.</p><p>He must have accepted her answer and decided he wouldn't get anything else out of her tonight since he simply said, "mhmm..." and was quiet as he came in to help her clean up.</p><p>As she washed dishes, she wondered what Gael would say if his friends asked him about her. Would he brush them off and say they were crazy for even thinking he had time for a relationship right now? Or would he admit they have had some moments together and that he was trying to move things forward with her?</p><p>She honestly wasn't sure what the answer would be to that question, and it was starting to get really old not knowing.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Chapter 14</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been an extremely long day for Blue working with her team, cutting and pinning until her fingers cramped up. The patterns were getting pinned to the fabrics so that the stitchers could start slowly sewing everything together. At this point the biggest task was the mass of soldiers they needed to outfit, turning her workshop into a tumultuous sea of blue and gray fabric.</p><p>She had also begun to draft a few patterns herself, not being able to find anything she liked online. One of the dress forms in her costume shop was mostly covered in muslin at this point, draping perfectly where Blue had decided to add pleats instead of gathering the fabric like most patterns she found were trying to do. The shape of this dress was much more organic and pleasing to the eye, she thought. She had added a few darts to the bodice to really accentuate Kalani's waist, hoping that she had added them in the right place. She would find out soon when they did their first fitting with her.</p><p>Most people were heading home for the day, tired of cutting and pinning, but Blue still needed to upholster the chairs for Eliza. She had promised she would do it instead of letting Jin make a mess of the expensive fabric she didn't want to waste. After debating on whether or not she could still put it off another day, she finally decided to stay late and get it done that night so she wouldn't have to make them wait any longer, plus then it would be off her mind.</p><p>Bringing the fabric and some foam to cushion the seat along with her, she hoped that Jin had a stapler downstairs in his shop. As she located the chairs, she noticed a shiny silver one laying right next to a box of extra staples on the workbench. She smiled and made a note to thank Jin for being prepared for her.</p><p>She spent a while tucking the fabric around the cushion of the chair and stapling it down, trying to make sure it was tight and wouldn't rip when the actors sat on it on the stage. It was slow and tedious work, which she didn't mind. The finished product was always worth the work, and once the first chair was finally done, she beamed at it proudly.</p><p>She took her phone out to snap a photo and send it to Eliza when suddenly her stomach growled as a reminder that it had been an uncivil length of time since she last filled it. Luckily, she brought leftover chili and had it in the fridge. It was one of those dishes that makes enough to feed an army, and only gets better each day it sits and further marinates, so it was perfect for leftovers.</p><p>As she headed to the break room, she turned the volume up on her headphones to blast one of her current favorite songs. Normally she listened to chill indie music when she worked, but it was late and she needed something to keep her awake. She had been on a ‘90s kick ever since finding out Ken was in a grunge band and was currently listening to a track with everything you'd want from a grunge song: witty lyrics, fuzzed-out guitars, and a sickeningly sweet chorus. She started slightly banging her head to the beat as she got the giant container of chili out and popped it in the microwave. She pushed the buttons as she swayed and started rocking out to the chorus, banging her head a little more and silently mouthing along with the words. As the song ended, she noticed the microwave was done so she turned to get some paper towels and ran right into Gael, who was apparently standing right behind her.</p><p>"Jesus fucking Christ on a sailboat!" She screamed and jumped at the same time, clutching her neck like a little old lady seeing something scandalous. "You scared the shit out of me, Gael!" As she leaned up against the counter to try and regain her composure, he was already doubled over laughing hysterically at her.</p><p>"Oh my God...you...you should have seen your face..." he could barely continue, seeing as he had no air in his lungs from laughing too hard at her. "It was amazing! I can't believe...you got that scared!" At this point, he had to sit down, lest he pass out from oxygen deprivation.</p><p>She was trying to glare at him, although it probably wasn't working too well with an unfortunate smirk on her face. "I could have had a heart attack! I didn't know anyone else was here, I thought I was the only one in the entire theater!"</p><p>He was wiping the tears from his eyes now, trying to calm down. "And wow, you curse like a sailor when you're scared, it's honestly quite endearing."</p><p>She huffed and glared even harder at him.</p><p>"Okay fine," he put his hands up in surrender. "I'm sorry I really didn't mean to scare you, I didn't think anyone else was here either. I left earlier, but had to come back for some paperwork on my desk. I was surprised to smell something amazing coming from the break room, so I came to check it out. I definitely did not expect to find you in here rocking out at the microwave." He gave her a coy smile which made her blush, imagining how ridiculous she must have looked dancing to no music that he could hear.</p><p>"Oh ha-ha. I'll have you know this is one of the most highly regarded grunge artists of the '90s, it's impossible not to 'rock out' while listening to it," she said as she walked over and handed him her headphones.</p><p>He gave her a suspicious look, but took the headphones anyway. She stood there as he listened to it for a few seconds and he couldn't help but start bobbing his head a little.</p><p>"See! I told you!" She gave him a victorious smile as he laughed and handed her the headphones back.</p><p>"Okay, you got me, they're pretty decent," he agreed. "Text me their name, I'll have to check them out."</p><p>"Sure." She texted him the band's playlist and headed back over to the microwave to heat the chili up again since it had cooled a little too much in all the commotion. "So anyway, I'm here working on the chairs Eliza wanted me to upholster for Jin. She said he wasn't the best at it and I'd rather it be done right, so I didn't mind staying late to work on it." She pointed at the microwave, "have you eaten? There's plenty."</p><p>"Oh no, I don't want to take your dinner. It's fine, I had a bag of chips-"</p><p>"When's the last time you ate a home-cooked meal?" she interrupted.</p><p>He looked up and acted like he was trying to remember, counting on his fingers. When he got to ten fingers she continued, "yeah that's what I thought. Here, I'll make you a bowl. Like I said, there's plenty and this is the third time I'm eating it, so I don't need all of it to myself."</p><p>He shrugged and said, "all right, as long as you have enough."</p><p>She made him go back to Jin's shop with her so she could keep working while they ate. Before they even got to where the chairs were, he was already eating while still walking.</p><p>"Oh dear God, this is amazing. What is it?" He shoved another bite in his mouth and closed his eyes.</p><p>"It's my aunt's Texas chili recipe, nothing like what you would find anywhere here in New York. It's <em>chili con carne</em>, so basically meat and peppers." She took a bite herself and felt it warm her insides. "Careful, it's hot."</p><p>Gael gave her an incredulous look, "I think I'll be alright. Is there masa in here?"</p><p>"Yep, it's used to thicken the sauce. Adds flavor too. I use chunks of chuck roast instead of ground beef so it's heartier than what most people think of when they think of chili. And I make a chile paste out of a few different kinds of peppers, whatever I find usually so it's a little different each time. Can't ever stick to just one set of rules, that would be too boring." She took another bite and then sat her bowl down to start stapling while she chewed.</p><p>He didn't say anything for a little bit and so she looked back at him. He was sitting on top of a workbench scarfing his food down, as though he truly hadn't eaten in as many days as he said earlier. "Wait, have you seriously not had real food lately? Don't tell me you're trying to solely survive on snacks."</p><p>He paused and looked up at her, "like you're one to talk. I think I've seen you eat more pop-tarts than any human should ever consume." He kept shoving food in his mouth and said, "it's just so good, I don't even understand how it tastes like home and something new all at the same time."</p><p>Blue stopped stapling and looked up at him. "Don't you ever cook? Surely you don't eat out for every meal..."</p><p>Gael let out a small laugh, "I'm not the best chef in the world, but I do have a few of my <em>mama’s</em> recipes mastered. Honestly, I would like to cook more often, but I don't really have the time. Not to mention my ex took all the pots and pans with her and I never replaced them, so I don't really have a fully stocked kitchen."</p><p>Blue felt awkward knowing more than she should about his ex, but couldn't help herself from saying, "wow, she sounds like a real gem."</p><p>Gael sat his finally empty bowl down next to him and ran his hand through his hair. "Yeah, more like the worst mistake of my life. She almost ruined me, in addition to taking all my kitchen supplies when she finally left." He hesitated and looked like he was trying to decide if he should tell her more. She could see the conflict in his eyes, wanting to get things off his chest and move on from his past, but still stuck in it for some reason. Finally, the writer found his words, "we actually worked on a show together, so when things went bad the show suffered. I was really close to losing the part and getting replaced, she messed with my mind so intensely that I didn't even see what was happening around me. Oh wait, you actually met her! Remember the blonde when you came to the interview?"</p><p>Blue nodded slowly, "yes...she gave off an 'I will cut you if you get in my way' vibe from the first second I walked in the room."</p><p>He shook his head and said, "honestly I wouldn't put it past her. Especially since she somehow figured out that I...well...never mind."</p><p>Blue wondered what he was about to say, and especially if it was about her.</p><p>"Literally, every red flag went off and everyone tried to warn me about her, but I just didn't listen. I'd never been around anyone as crazy as she apparently was - or <em>is</em>, whatever...but it didn't seem like what was happening could be real. I think my brain kind of blocked out most of it for a while and I went on autopilot."</p><p>"Yeah, I've heard she wasn't easy to work with, so I'm assuming it definitely wasn't easy to be in a relationship with her." Blue knew some things from Kiara, but wanted to know Gael's side of the story. "It's difficult enough to get over the average annoying relationship stuff, but with someone so intense, I can't even imagine..."</p><p>"I mean it was okay in the beginning, or so I thought. She would tell me the most outrageous lies and act like they were completely true. At first I thought it was comical, like a bit she was doing as a joke. But then I started realizing she didn't know the difference between her lies and the truth. Then she started getting really controlling and..." he trailed off and looked away for a moment. Blue had stopped stapling and was sitting on the floor next to the chair just staring up at him, waiting for him to continue.</p><p>"She eventually caused so much trouble at the theater that people started complaining to me, telling me I needed to control her. Well, first of all, she was out of control and anything I tried to do would only make things worse. And secondly, I felt like such an ass when she was controlling me, so I never wanted to do the same thing to her."</p><p>Blue felt terrible for him, she could see the pain in his eyes so clearly. He was still suffering from what she did, not as much as she thought, but it was still there.</p><p>"We lived together, that's obviously how she got the pots and pans," he said as he rolled his eyes, "and at some point I just started sleeping at the theater. I couldn't even stand to go home. I know it sounds stupid or like I'm an-"</p><p>"No! Don't say that." Blue hesitated. "I mean I feel slightly bad, she seems to have something terribly wrong and needs some major help. But it's never okay to hurt someone else, just because of your own pain. I can't imagine what you went through, it must have been really hard to get out of that situation."</p><p>Gael was caught off guard by her words, surprised at how tender Blue was to think that Carrie had problems and needed help, but also candid enough to say she still shouldn’t have done those things to him. She didn’t even know the worst of it all, so he decided to tell her. "Luckily she made it very easy in the end." He rubbed his face as he talked, as though he could wipe away the memories. "She told me she was pregnant when things were worse than they had ever been. I was so furious because I felt like I was going to be trapped with this insane person for the rest of my life. Even if we weren't in a relationship anymore eventually, I'd still have to share custody with her or fight her for it. She was being so shady and weird about it the entire time, not letting me go to appointments and saying how I didn't even want it anyway, so why did I care…”</p><p>"More manipulation," Blue stated plainly.</p><p>"Exactly. Well, I finally find out - get this - she wasn't even pregnant. Never was. She had me convinced she was getting an abortion, again trying to blame me and said I never even wanted it anyway, so we went to the clinic and I gave her the money to go in. Who has the fucking audacity to go to a clinic when they aren't even pregnant in the first place! I asked for a pregnancy test, she couldn't give me one. I asked for an ultrasound photo, she sent me one she found on Google."</p><p>"Geez, that's really screwed up." Blue wanted to walk over to him and wrap him up in her arms. He was being so vulnerable right now and she didn't know what to do about that, which she hated. All she could do was listen.</p><p>"Yeah it is. When I confronted her about it at least it was finally enough to end all the chaos. She was out of the apartment within two days after her lies came crashing down around her. I didn't really care about getting new pans then, and I guess even though it's been almost three years I still haven't really thought about replacing them. It was absolute hell trying to still do the show, knowing she was still in the theater somewhere."</p><p>"I have to ask, why in the world did the team decide to bring her in to interview for this job? Wouldn't Julian at least have something to say about her being a bit of a risk?" Blue was trying to be as delicate as possible, not wanting to question his choices, but still trying to get answers.</p><p>"Yeah it was a mistake, I'll be the first to admit that. I had heard she was different from a few people, that she seemed to have chilled out in recent years. I thought maybe she had even gotten help for herself, you know? Like gone to see a therapist, or even started medication. She really is a good costume designer, and we were so desperate when the other person had to leave so suddenly...so we took the chance that she had really changed."</p><p>"Wow, that was really big of you to be willing to even see her again, much less offer her a job." Blue was impressed with his compassion, it was hard for her to give anyone a second chance, much less a one-thousandth chance.</p><p>"Thanks, but unfortunately she immediately fell into her old behavior before the interview even started. She acted like she already had the job because we worked together before, so we would be crazy not to have her, no matter what our past was. That's what I get for dating someone I worked with." As soon as he said it his face dropped and he looked like he wanted to snatch his words out of the air.</p><p>Blue felt the sting of his words before she even fully comprehended what he said. Her natural response was to fight back. "Sure...but look at Jin and Eliza. They work together, she's even technically over him, and they have the picture-perfect relationship that everyone would give anything to have. Maybe the problem wasn't dating a co-worker, but the fact that she has major issues she obviously needs to address. It's not your fault, you know. It sounds like you did what you felt was right. You handled it as best as possible."</p><p>He stared at her for a moment with his brow furrowed, looking as though he was really thinking about what she just said. "No one has ever said that to me. After all the hell I went through, no one ever said anything about me handling it as best as I knew how." His forehead smoothed as he relaxed a little, "thanks, I think I needed to hear that."</p><p>She was worried about how he had dealt with it all since it ended. It was something that had held her back from him all this time. From what he had just told her, he still was resolving this issue within himself, so maybe she was right to think he wasn't ready for anything between them?</p><p>"I know this isn't my place, so feel free to ignore me, but have you talked to anyone about this? I mean a professional? This goes way beyond a bad breakup, I can see it in your eyes."</p><p>He looked up at her and searched her face to try and figure out what she meant. "Yeah, I started seeing my therapist about a year ago, the stress of writing this show and the baggage from her was too much - wait what do you mean you see it in my eyes? Like what you said to me on the stage months ago?" He was curious to know what she saw.</p><p>Blue felt like she had given too much away, but there was no turning back now. She couldn’t believe he even remembered that day. "Yeah...your eyes are just really emotive. I don't have to guess what you're thinking usually because it's right there," she pointed at his face, smiling slightly. She stood up and dusted herself off, then pretended she was inspecting the chair so she didn't have to look him in the eyes when she said, "it's especially helpful to be pretty sure I know what someone is thinking about me. I can be terrible at social cues sometimes, kind of oblivious. So it's nice to have two big brown billboards broadcasting everything for me."</p><p>At this point, the silvery cord between them was weaving in more threads, becoming a steadier link between them. No longer just a flimsy string, she felt their bond get stronger as she turned and looked at him, staring right into those billboards of his. She asked, "can I have those extra staples right there?" pointing to the cardboard box next to him on the workbench. He looked over and picked them up and held them out towards her. When she grabbed it, he didn't let go, but instead pulled her closer to him. She was now standing right between his legs that dangled over the edge of the workbench, dangerously close to his face that was only a little above hers since he was sitting.</p><p>"Why is it that every time we are together," he said quietly, almost to himself, "all I want to do is be closer to you?" He pulled her a little closer so that now she was only inches from his face. He looked down at her lips, then back up at her eyes. His own eyes were dark like she had seen them a few times before, burning with a shadowy fire. She started to lean in towards him, aching to finally feel the fullness of his lips against hers. She couldn't help herself, she had waited long enough for this. He leaned into her, seemingly not able to help himself either.</p><p>A loud noise made her jump back, scattering all the staples across the floor. He quickly jumped down and began helping her pick them all up as a group of actors walked in. The loud noise had been the door slamming as they entered the building.</p><p>"Hey, guys!" Gael shouted to them as he waved. He gave her a look of remorse and longing before he ran over to see what they needed; apparently they decided to run lines as a group and no one's apartment could hold them all, so they met up at the theater instead. He thanked them all for their dedication, while Blue silently cursed them.</p><p>She wasn't imagining things anymore, they had definitely just almost kissed.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Chapter 15</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Blue had never been so frustrated and excited in her entire life. Things with Gael had almost gotten very serious, which was thrilling. Then they were suddenly interrupted and they hadn't been able to even see each other since, which was incredibly annoying.</p><p>She had endured over two weeks of trying to get over the bitterness at the actors that had inadvertently stopped them from kissing. They obviously had no idea what was going on, and she and Gael actually were really lucky that they hadn't been caught. If she learned anything from their conversation that night about Carrie, it was that Gael was still very sensitive about dating a co-worker. She understood his reservations, he had a terrible and honestly abusive relationship all happen within the walls of the theater for everyone to witness. She assumed he had some unresolved issues with Carrie, but was very happy to hear he was working on it. Now, Blue's plan was to help him put Carrie even further in his past.</p><p>Unfortunately though, she had very little time lately to fully dwell on it. As Aunt Millie would say: everyone in the theater was busier than a three-legged cat in a litter box. The sets were getting larger, the bones almost complete. The lights were almost all installed, being tested daily, along with all the sound equipment. The costumes were coming together, no major details were done yet, but the base layers were mostly finished.</p><p>Blue had called for a fitting during one of the rehearsals, especially for some of the really important and intricate costumes. The cast had been blocking rehearsals for a while and was ready to now begin working through scenes in larger chunks. She had sent out the emails to the actors that were needed today, and Gael was among them. Excited to finally get to see him, but extremely nervous since she wasn't sure exactly how it would go after their last encounter, she paced in the costume workshop as Kalani was getting into one of her dresses with the help of Kiara and a couple of the stitchers.</p><p>"I think it's stuck right here," Kalani said as she tried to point at her back.</p><p>Blue stopped agonizing over the impending potential awkwardness and went over to help her. "Ah yes, it got folded over there...okay try it now." She smoothed out the bodice on Kalani's back and she was able to slip it up easily.</p><p>"Yes! So much better." She looked down at her dress, the vibrant green fabric dreamily contrasting against her skin. "Well, what do you guys think?" she asked everyone around her.</p><p>Blue's smile was so big it almost hurt her cheeks. She walked around Kalani to see the dress from every angle. "Oh ladies, I think we hit the jackpot on this one." She looked over at Kiara who laughed, the giddiness of seeing the dress come to life bubbling out of her uncontrollably.</p><p>"I can't believe how amazing it looks! It's exactly what we had planned, and it's not even done yet." Kiara was shaking her head in disbelief at how perfectly the dress was coming together.</p><p>"Well, someone get me over to the mirror so I can see what all the fuss is about!" Kalani joked as she started slowly shuffling towards a giant full-length mirror in the back corner of the room. Everyone helped her so she could safely make it over there without ripping or snagging anything along the way.</p><p>As she stepped in front of it, she gasped. "You guys. This is absolutely insane." Her smile grew wider and wider with each word. "It's so beautiful!" Her face suddenly dropped and became very serious. She stared dramatically at her reflection while pressing her hands against the bodice, hugging the dress to herself. "It feels like Sarah. I can see her in this dress." She turned to Blue and said, "thank you for bringing me closer to her. I've been so wrapped up in memorizing lines and choreography - I think I really needed to bond with my character." Looking back in the mirror she said, "it's absolutely perfect."</p><p>Blue felt like she could have teared up, if it wasn't for all the people staring right now. Creating trust with the actors was sometimes difficult, dressing them in things they might protest or really dislike. Sometimes they even flat out refused to wear things that the designers made for them. To hear Kalani's kind words made her feel like she could create anything together with her and it would be phenomenal. Here she was again, in a group of strong women encouraging each other and truly connecting. It was so powerful, it helped Blue to actually open up and feel comfortable being sincere. "Thank you, that really means a lot to me. But let me tell you, we can make a dress as great as we possibly can, put hours of work into it, use only the best fabric, and it can have a life of its own on a dress form...but until you stepped into it just now, it was missing its essence. You truly bring it to life, Kalani. I can't wait to see the finished product on stage, you're going to be sensational."</p><p>"I second that."</p><p>Everyone turned around to see Gael, leaning against the doorway. He was wearing ripped jean shorts today with his Vans, rocking a plain gray t-shirt, and a black hat that he had on backward. Blue swore she could hear half the girls sigh at the sight of him, and she honestly couldn't blame them. His beard was looking thicker than she had ever seen it before; he must have already started letting it grow out for the show.</p><p>Kalani laughed at Gael and said, "come here! Blue has your suit ready to try on, let's get a picture of Sarah and John together for the first time!"</p><p>He started walking towards them and everyone scattered, looking for the pieces of the suit for him to try on. His eyes were on Blue the entire time he walked over, a shy smile slowly growing on his lips as he got closer. He stopped right in front of her and handed her a container he had been holding that was warm to the touch.</p><p>"What's this?" She asked, giving him a confused look.</p><p>"Pastelillos - they're kind of like small versions of what you would call empanadas, but better." Gael gave her a sheepish look as he stuck his hands in his pockets, unsure of what to do with them.</p><p>"Wait a second...did you cook?" she exclaimed with wide eyes.</p><p>He just shrugged at her and said, "yeah - don't get a big head about it, but maybe you were kind of an inspiration or something like that. Made me realize I probably needed to own some pots and pans, since I'm an adult or whatever. So I bought some. Of course once I had them I couldn't just throw them in the cabinet and forget about them, so I decided to break them in. It was actually perfect because I've been craving these for a long time anyway, so it was a win-win."</p><p>She beamed at him, "I am so proud of you, my young apprentice. Who knows what's next in store for you, maybe Kiara will have you baking before next week!"</p><p>"Okay now, let's not get ahead of ourselves." He took his hands out of his pockets and crossed his arms, "make sure you let me know what you think about them. I am not sure about the filling, it seems like it could use some more spice to kick it up a notch. But I don't know..."</p><p>"Definitely, I'll give you a full report. I won't hold back either, I promise," she said.</p><p>"I know by now that you never hold back." He gave her a knowing look as someone tapped him on the shoulder, ready with his undershirt.</p><p>The theater is an odd place; no one has any shame because people are constantly changing in to or out of costumes and there's no time to try and be decent. After a while, you get used to seeing people half-dressed because it's just part of the business, and everyone is usually professional about it. Just a few minutes earlier, Kalani was standing in nothing but her underwear as everyone helped her get into her dress, without a care in the world.</p><p>But as Gael suddenly started lifting his shirt up, right in front of her...Blue's mind went fuzzy. She felt the heat rising up from her chest and reaching her cheeks so she turned around quickly to set the pastelillos down on the table behind her, giving her a second to try and force the blush away. After a deep breath, she turned back again, not ready to see what was in front of her.</p><p>He was facing the opposite direction, trying to find the armholes to the undershirt so he could slip it on. She saw his back and was immediately reminded of the drawing she did of him so long ago, still sitting in the folder in her apartment. He ran his hand through his hair, exactly as he was doing in the sketch, and it took her breath away. He was more perfect than she could have ever drawn him to be. The lean muscles on his back flexed as he wrestled with the undershirt, his hair unruly from taking his hat and shirt off. His warm skin looked so inviting, she felt her hands trying to reach out on their own accord. Wanting nothing more than to just feel his skin on hers, she was desperate for everyone to suddenly disappear so that she would have him all to herself.</p><p>The things she would do...</p><p>Someone cleared her throat - Kiara apparently trying to save her from embarrassment, bless her heart - and she suddenly remembered she was a professional. She headed over to grab the blue waistcoat that was mostly stitched together. She held it out for him to put on and he slipped his arms through, turning around to face her. Everyone else was still busy looking for the trousers in the chaos of the costume shop, so she was left alone to assess the fit on him. Tugging on the collar, she straightened the seams and pinned a few spots that she thought needed to be taken in.</p><p>"Be careful with those, I've been stabbed by too many hasty dressers and wardrobe personnel in my lifetime," Gael said as he nervously looked at the pins she was grabbing from her mouth and shoving into the fabric dangerously close to his skin.</p><p>"Don't worry," she mumbled, pins still in her mouth. "I wouldn't want to get any blood on the coat. It would be such a shame to waste this fabric since it cost so much." A muffled laugh at her own joke escaped her lips as she pulled the last pin from her mouth and stuck it into the fabric.</p><p>Gael rolled his eyes and said, "wow thanks, I'm glad I'm less important than the fabric!"</p><p>Blue said, "okay fine, maybe it's a close tie." She looked into his eyes and noticed that he liked to hear her admit she felt he was important.</p><p>She slipped her arms inside the coat and Gael took in a slow breath, savoring her closeness. Pulling the wrinkles out of his undershirt, she started at his chest and smoothed her hands down to his stomach. Her hands lingered there for a second, unwilling to break contact. She didn't have to look up to know his eyes were dark and she was afraid of what she might do if, again, they told her he wanted to kiss her. Forcing her hands back down to her sides was more difficult than she expected it to be.</p><p>"Perfect," was all she could trust herself to say out loud. As she turned away and began looking for the matching trousers that no one could seem to find, she wanted to tell him that she had imagined him in this suit so many times that she had lost count, but her mind never could do it justice compared to what was currently in front of her. She wanted to say that he looked so striking in this green that she wanted nothing more than to rip it off him right now.</p><p>Her eyes must have been billboards themselves this time because when she finally found the trousers and looked up at Gael's face, his eyes went even darker, as though he could read her thoughts. He softly whispered, so that only she could hear, "looks that good, huh?" and then with a devious smile he started taking off his shorts.</p><p>Everyone else politely looked away, except Blue who was still holding the trousers he needed to put on. She could barely move, her muscles betraying her and not allowing her to act as professional as she hoped to be. She slowly handed them to him, taking her time to notice his black Calvin Klein's and making him wait. Finally, she said, "careful - don't rip any seams or someone in here might attack you."</p><p>He laughed as he slipped them on and said, "promise?" then he winked at her and held his arms out so she could pin them for him, since they didn't have buttons yet. She slowly put a few pins in, right at the front of his waist, careful to take her time and enjoy making him flustered. She made sure the shirt was tucked in properly, sliding her fingers around his waistband from the front to the back. She swore she heard a sigh escape his perfect lips as her arms wrapped around his waist, but couldn't trust her hearing at that moment because her heart was beating so fast her ears were full of the sound of blood rushing through her body. Reluctantly, she backed away and said he was done. He looked down at the suit, then up at her with one of his brilliant smiles. Turning around to walk over to where Kalani was standing, he held his hands out to really showcase the suit for everyone to see.</p><p>The only thing capable of disrupting her from dwelling on the show she had just witnessed would be seeing her two main characters standing next to each other, lighting the room up with excitement. Everyone was buzzing with how amazing they looked, that they really got the fit right and it didn't need too many alterations. Blue pulled her phone out and snapped a photo quickly, sending it to the group chat.</p><p>
  <em>John and Sarah together, finally. Let's get this show on the road!</em>
</p><p>People were immediately texting back, excited to see them in costume together. Arjun said that he was 'so proud', complete with a crying face emoji.</p><p>Blue made them stand in the middle of the room as she walked around them, noting each angle and looking for any flaws.</p><p>"Can you guys move around? Do some natural movements and maybe even some of the choreography to make sure there are no seams that are weak and need to be reinforced." Kiara handed Blue her notebook, knowing she would want to take notes.</p><p>Gael bowed at Kalani, and all the girls swooned. Blue rolled her eyes and laughed, noting that at least the waist seemed to be set in the right spot on his abdomen. They began to do some of the moves that Agnes had created for them. Luckily Blue had been able to discuss with her how the dress and suit would be very stifling, so it seemed Agnes had indeed taken that into account; the steps she had for them in these costumes were perfectly stiff and easy. She also noted that Kalani could possibly even have the bodice lowered a bit, why not show off a little more of Sarah's assets to help raise more money at the ball they were throwing? She started clapping as they finished their dance and everyone else joined in, making Gael and Kalani radiate with the joy a performer loves to feel after a particularly great show.</p><p>"Okay everyone, let's allow these guys to get back to rehearsals. We have a lot more work to do, and now that we know that what we are doing will be made to look even better on these two, we can be confident and move forward full steam ahead. Excellent work everyone, you've all been working so hard and it shows." She smiled at them all as they began helping Kalani and Gael with their costumes.</p><p>As her crew helped them undress, Blue turned around and grabbed the pastelillos off the table behind her, taking a bite out of one. The flaky crust melted in her mouth as she evaluated the flavors and spices.</p><p>"Well, what's the verdict?" Gael asked as he walked over to her, running his hand through his hair before putting his hat back on.</p><p>"Hot." She thought for another second, still chewing the bite. "Food's good, too."</p><p>She looked surprised at her own words as he let out one of his big, tremendously warm laughs. "Thanks...do you agree it needs a little more spice though?" he asked.</p><p>"Sure, maybe a tad bit more. It's still delicious though, and the crust is perfect. It's not easy to get right, you did a great job of keeping the layers flaky."</p><p>"Did I hear something about flaky layers?" Kiara popped her head over Gael's shoulder and Blue held out the container for her to grab one. She didn't even hesitate to try a bite and ask, "did you make these, Gael? Since when are you trying to take over as the baking champion of Century Theater? I won't let someone take my throne, unchallenged."</p><p>They laughed and Gael promised, "no way, I'm not trying to conquer any kingdoms. I just got inspired to make some real food for once and wanted to make sure it was actually edible. It's been so long since I cooked that I wasn't sure if I was delusional or if they really did taste good."</p><p>She happily nodded, mouth full of food, and gave her approval which Gael took happily. Having Kiara and Blue's approval felt good for him and she could tell he had been searching for it.</p><p>Blue said she would walk him back down to the stage since she had to get a drink from the break room to wash down the pastelillos. "So how are rehearsals?" she asked, genuinely interested.</p><p>He seemed positive when he said, "really good actually. I can't believe how quickly it's coming together, it's so surreal to watch. Everyone is really phenomenal, I couldn't ask for a better cast. Julian's vision has taken it beyond anything I ever dreamed, too, he's been able to get so much out of the performers."</p><p>"That's amazing! I've got to go down there and watch one day this week, there are always things I need to make notes of and it's better to find out any changes we might need right now, before the costumes are finished."</p><p>"Yeah, I think we will be working through it in larger sections by the end of the week. I know Malik and I would be interested in what you think so far, fresh eyes are always good to have."</p><p>She stopped at the bottom of the stairs where they needed to part ways, "hey, I really am glad you got some pans. It's a healthy step forward, I think."</p><p>He grinned at her, again devouring her support like he needed it to survive.</p><p>"What can I say, you really do inspire me, <em>mi Azul.</em>" He looked like he wanted to reach out, but didn't since there were tons of people around. Instead, he just shoved his hands in his pockets again and walked away, taking her breath away with him.</p><p>As she headed into the break room to find a bottle of water, she thought about the fact that she had now gone on a not-a-date with Gael, been very open about things she never talked about with anyone, almost kissed him, and now watched him undress. If she was frustrated before about where things stood with them, now she was about to lose her mind if nothing happened soon. She considered asking him out on a for-real date, that way they would know for sure what was happening between them; it would be made clear from the beginning the purpose of their time together was an actual date. Or maybe she could even just ask him to talk over coffee, pour her heart out to see what his response was?</p><p>Yeah right, like she was willing to be that unguarded and unprotected.</p><p>She would just have to think of something soon; he made a move by pulling her in to kiss her before they got interrupted, so she could make the next move and make sure it went better this time around.</p><p>Ken walked into the break room as she stood there in her own little Gael universe, not even noticing him come in. He pulled her back to their current plane of existence when he said, "So I have good news and bad news, which do you want first?"</p><p>She looked up at him, water bottle still unopened in her hands, and realized he was obviously talking to her since no one else was in the room. "Oh, uh, good news always goes first!"</p><p>Ken opened the fridge and said, "okay, I talked to the guys finally and they've agreed to do a reunion show. Actually, they all seemed very excited which surprised me. I think they've been waiting for an excuse to do this, but didn't want to be the ones to suggest it."</p><p>"That's amazing!" Blue exclaimed. "I can't believe this is going to happen! Oh my God, I have to start planning now. There's so much to do, we need to tell the cast and crew to bring booze and dress in their best 90's grunge outfits. Everyone is going to lose their minds when they find out! Does Natasha know? Can I be the one to tell her?" She was out of breath and still had a dozen more questions popping into her mind.</p><p>"Slow down! You haven't heard the bad news yet." Ken put his lunch in the microwave and turned to look at her. "Unfortunately, we haven't practiced in so long that I can't attest to the quality of our talent anymore. So, although they agreed to do it, we will need to decide once we get together and practice if we're too rusty and have no hope of pulling it together by opening week. I mean I've never stopped playing guitar and most of the guys have kept up their instruments somewhat, except the drummer whose wife made him stop once they had babies. But who knows, maybe it will be like riding a bike?"</p><p>"The grungiest punk bike that ever existed! Ken, I have all the faith in the world for Arcanum to come back stronger than ever. I saw the videos, heard the songs. You guys really were talented and that doesn't ever leave you no matter how long it's been since you played together." She smiled at him and he looked proud. "There's absolutely no pressure, if by some chance you guys suck then we leave it alone and you go back to your lives. If I'm right and you're better than ever, then you let me know and I'll start planning the best party of your lives."</p><p>He agreed that as long as she was prepared for the worst, then he would let her know how their first practice went. She assured him that she couldn't wait to hear about it and promised to not plan anything until he gave her the green light.</p><p>Well, at least she wouldn't plan anything other than start making t-shirts with Natasha, order disposable cameras for everyone to use, start searching thrift shops for her outfit, find decorations, and ask Kiara to start researching recipes to have 90's themed snacks...only the essentials.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Chapter 16</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Every day was busier than the day before, and also more exciting. With each stitch, they became closer to seeing the costumes finally come to life. Every button, every appliqué, even every rip and stain was telling a story.</p><p>Blue was thrilled to have an entire ensemble in the costume shop for fittings, seeing them all together in one room filled her with a sense of completion and put her nerves at ease. It was confirmation that they did actually all look amazing together. The movement and life inside each costume was so much more magical than seeing them on dress forms, and now she couldn't wait to see them on the stage. They even had Gigi in to consult on hair and makeup while their costumes were on, which was just one more step to filling the <em>Nothing but Tombs </em>story to the brim with substance and authenticity.</p><p>Blue was watching Gigi fit a wig on one of the girl's as she compared it with the costumes. The shape and color was right, but something was missing.</p><p>She ran over to the shelves and grabbed some lace ribbon that Kiara had found in a bin when they were shopping. It was a fantastic find since it was very similar to some of the ribbon they had seen in their research. There was a hot glue gun still plugged in from when she was working on some women's hats earlier, so she used it to secure the lace to a spare side comb she had laying around. She fanned the lace out so that it had a little body to it, but wouldn't overtake the hairstyle.</p><p>As she was walking back over to the ensemble, Gigi's eyes caught sight of the hairpiece and she squealed, "oh Blue! That is absolutely perfect! Let's put it right here in this braid." She gently tucked it into the mass of braids in the back of the girl's wig and took a step back. "Yes, that's just what it needed. Can you make nine more?"</p><p>Blue nodded, "sure! It only took two seconds to make, I'll have to order more side combs though...I can get them to you by next week so you can secure them in all the wigs, sound good?"</p><p>"Wonderful, darling!" And with that, she started removing the wigs and safely storing them on the cart of mannequin heads she had brought them in on. As she wheeled them out of the costume shop and back to hair and makeup, Blue and her crew started helping the ensemble out of their costumes. Once the actors all left to go downstairs, she quickly tidied up around everyone that was working on other projects before she headed downstairs to finally watch a full rehearsal.</p><p>On her way downstairs she saw Ken talking to Natasha and they both looked up when they saw her walking towards them.</p><p>"We did it, Blue! Arcanum is back together and better than ever!" Natasha jumped up and down as she yelled, while Ken just stood there and rolled his eyes at her.</p><p>"Not better than ever, but at least almost as good as we were twenty years ago." Ken shrugged as though it was not a big deal. "I'm actually pretty impressed, we remembered almost everything and even added a new song. Who would have thought us old dudes could have pulled that off in such a short time?"</p><p>Blue raised her hand and then so did Natasha. "I told you I had faith in you guys! This is so exciting! So we have full permission to move forward with the opening week party? I mean once I ask Malik..."</p><p>"You didn't ask Malik yet?! Why have we been practicing if we don't even have a venue or event!" Ken asked.</p><p>"Now don't you worry about that," Blue said, "your job was to get the band together again and my job was to get the party started. I'll stand by my end of the deal, you can bet on it."</p><p>Natasha added, "I don't think there's any reason Malik would say no, and if anyone could convince someone to do something it's Blue. I'm going to start designing t-shirts now and begin working on posters!"</p><p>Ken looked a little frazzled, but said, "okay fine. We will keep practicing, for now. It's not like we haven't been having fun and it's been nice getting back together, I guess. But you have to ask Malik soon and let me know!"</p><p>She swore up and down that she would not only ask but would make sure and convince him; no matter what the show would go on.</p><p>Leaving them to their work, Blue made her way to the stage. She was really looking forward to seeing the show in a more cohesive format. She had caught glimpses here and there of when they were blocking and stumbling through it in small sections, but now they were in full working rehearsals. They were off the book, everyone knew their lines and had all the songs memorized, mostly. They should all have a good understanding of the arc of the play by now and be very familiar with their characters. It was time for them to feel comfortable enough to push boundaries and figure out the best way to tell Gael's story.</p><p>She found a seat on the left side of the house, a few rows back so she could take in the entire stage without being easily visible and possibly putting the cast on edge. She knew it was sometimes tough for them to have viewers during rehearsals since things weren't completely ironed out yet, but she really needed to make notes and know for sure that she didn't need to make any major changes to the costumes. She noticed that Eliza had quite a bit of the scenery completed and it was honestly breathtaking. The weight of it all seemed so permanent and made the feel of the stage so dismal, so hopeless. She knew Eliza would absolutely love to hear that, so she texted her exactly those words while she waited for the actors to get into place.</p><p>Watching them all quietly scatter as Julian took his seat in the center of the house so he could observe the performance, she began to feel slightly nervous for them all and hoped they were more confident on stage than she would have been right now.</p><p>Suddenly, the sharp dry sound of a snare drum filled the house, playing the call to forward the troops into battle. It began morphing from a war call into a hip hop beat that Blue recognized as the beginning of the first song of the play, the one Gael had performed for everyone at the production meeting. The top end of the snare really cracked the air as it set up the actor named Daniel that was playing John's best friend, William, to walk out and begin rapping.</p><p>Blue was immediately entangled in the lyrics and trying to keep up, nodding her head to the beat and watching as the rest of the cast slowly joined him on stage. Each character added their own dash of insight to the story that was being set up, doing their job of setting the audience up to easily follow along. The volume was building and the pace was quickening, she knew Gael would be coming onto the stage any second now. Again, she felt nervous to see him perform, as though she were the one up there instead.</p><p>The music stopped for two beats and he loudly busted open a door on the second story of the set, somewhere Blue hadn't expected to see him enter the scene from. Everyone on stage looked up as he said his line, and then the music continued. He made his way downstairs and rafters, rapping along with the ensemble as they all gathered towards the middle of the stage. Finally, in unison, everyone began singing the melody and then all dropped out at the same time, except for Gael. His voice rang clear and loud, echoing through the entire theater as he finished the final note of the song.</p><p>They held for imaginary applause, then immediately started right into the next scene with only a few stumbles and missteps. It wasn't as tight as it would be by the time previews started in a month, but it was getting there.</p><p>Blue realized she was supposed to be taking notes and not getting lost in the show, so she opened her notebook and clicked her pen to start writing down the few questions she already had. She also noted that she wanted to make sure some of the seams were reinforced for Gael since now she knew he would be climbing down from the second story and she didn't want any rips.</p><p>As the show went on, she was struggling between paying attention to her job and paying attention to Gael. Every word that bulleted out from his mouth hit her right in the chest; him describing the war and the despair of being separated from everything he knew was draining her, and she could sense his familiar pain of loss. She knew Gael wrote those words from his own suffering, which only made her feel them even deeper in her soul. She took a few more notes, but mostly just got lost in the show. No lights, no band, not even any costumes, just the actors and Gael giving everything they had to this story.</p><p>When they had almost reached the end, Julian abruptly called for them all to stop, so everyone quickly sputtered to a halt. She saw him get up and head over to talk to a few of the cast members quietly, and she looked over to the other side of the stage to see Gael staring at the ground and running his hand through his hair. He looked somewhat upset, which was odd to Blue because he had seemed perfectly fine the entire performance.</p><p>Finally, Julian told everyone to take a break because he wanted to work through this part of the scene with only those certain few actors he had spoken to. She watched as Gael huffed and stormed off the stage - something she had never seen before. A debate went on inside her head on whether or not she should stay in her seat and make more notes, or go after him. Tapping her pen on her notebook with one hand and gripping the armrest of the seat with her other hand, she tried to stay put and not run after him like some southern belle going after her beau. He was an adult, he could deal with his own problems. Plus, he might need some space for a second and not want to see anyone.</p><p>She heard one of the actors talking on her phone as she walked down the aisle, "...yeah I think he's in his office, I heard him slam the door. He seemed super pissed at Julian, understandably so, but still..."</p><p>Well hell, she couldn't ignore a bit of scandal and a chance to talk to Gael alone. It had been weeks since she got to just be around him without anyone else witnessing every move they made, and Arjun taught her to always follow the gossip. She stood up and left her things in her seat, intending to just go and check on him and be back in time for them to start rehearsals back up again for the final minutes of the show. When she was standing outside his closed door in the hallway, she quietly knocked and waited for an answer.</p><p>Nothing.</p><p>Second-guessing herself and wondering if this was a really bad idea, she almost turned around and left. Being stubborn as she was though, she gave him one more knock and heard him say from inside, "what?" in a short tone that sounded like he didn't want to see anyone.</p><p>"It's me, Blue...can I come in for a sec?" she asked in the nicest voice she could muster.</p><p>He immediately opened the door, standing there staring at her intently for a second before stepping to the side and waving her into his office. She slowly walked in and let him close the door behind her. As he walked around her to go lean against the side of his desk, she debated on whether or not she should sit, but instead just stood there frozen and waited for him to speak.</p><p>Nothing. Again.</p><p>He was leaning against the desk, arms crossed and staring at the floor. Some of his hair was covering his face so she couldn't read what was going on with him. That left talking as the only means of discovering the problem at hand, something Blue excelled at.</p><p>"Is everything okay? I was watching the rehearsals - which have been insanely mind-blowing, by the way - and noticed you left during the break. I was going to just give you space, but I'm a ridiculously nosy person and can't keep to myself it seems." She gave him a small smile as he smirked at her, which was quickly replaced by a grimace as he groaned and ran his hand through his hair again.</p><p>"Do you really mean it? You're not just blowing smoke up my ass?" he asked.</p><p>Blue looked confused as she said, "huh? Did I mean what?"</p><p>"That the show was good? The rehearsal wasn't so terrible you wanted to storm out to the box office and demand your money back?" he asked as a worried look crept over his face. He was finally facing her so she could see his face completely, and more importantly, his eyes.</p><p>He wasn't wrestling with Julian, but with himself. This was a case of a supposedly incredibly secure person feeling very insecure at the moment. For some reason, even though to her everything seemed to be going splendidly, here he was absolutely torn to pieces right in front of her. He was second-guessing himself and having some major doubts, feeling something she was all too familiar with: anxiety.</p><p>"Hey, take a breath." She walked over to him and grabbed both of his hands, feeling them tremble very slightly. She inhaled deeply, showing him what she wanted him to do. He took a breath, staring into her eyes the whole time. His jaw was clenched and she could feel him fighting the anxiety. "Breathe, again." She took another breath with him and felt him relax a little.</p><p>They stood there, breathing and holding hands for a minute.</p><p>"First of all, I don't think we have hired a ticket operator yet, so there's no one for me to get my money back from." She cracked a wide grin at him and waited for his smile to appear. Slowly, it spread across his face, not reaching his eyes yet, but she still had a few tricks up her sleeve.</p><p>"Second of all, I don't blow smoke up <em>anyone's</em> ass. I'm always honest, sometimes brutal, but always honest. You should know that by now. If there was one thing I could say about what I've seen so far, it's that I think you should tone it down a bit, actually, because otherwise, people's heads are going to explode in the audience, okay? It will be too messy and I don't think we have hired a janitor yet either, so don't expect me to clean it up if you don't heed my advice."</p><p>This time he actually laughed out loud, the smile reaching his eyes, finally. "You're right, you are brutal." He looked down at their hands, still intertwined, as Blue absentmindedly squeezed tighter.</p><p>He finally admitted, "this week has been rough. It's this weird in-between phase that I always <em>hate</em>. We are good enough to go off-book, but still not sharp enough to actually be great. Eventually, all the notes and questions take a toll on me and I start to doubt, well, everything. Especially when my performance, music, words, basically my <em>everything</em> is all tied up in this. It gets really difficult listening to a dozen people question every decision you made. I mean, who am I to think that I can actually pull this off? I feel like such an idiot sometimes for even thinking I could do this on such a large scale, take it all on by myself."</p><p>She hated hearing him speak like this. He should never feel worthless when he meant so much to her.</p><p>Oh, shit.</p><p>Not having ever even admitted that to herself before, she suddenly realized she needed to tell him. Now. Before she had time to overthink it and change her mind. This wasn't something she could keep to herself anymore and it was finally time to make her move and put herself out there. She channeled all the boldness in her tiny body that she could and said, "I've said it before, and I'll say it again. You're a fucking genius, Gael. This show is beyond anything that I have ever seen before. I knew that from the moment I met you, right here in this office. But seeing the full rehearsals just now? Now I know that it goes above anything I could have even imagined. It's really good, still needs fine-tuning of course, but it will get there. We will make sure it turns out just as good as what was in that gorgeous head of yours from day one." She stared at him with a force that told him she meant every word.</p><p>He stood there for a second, taking in her magnificent energy and letting it wash over him. Suddenly aware that they were still holding hands, his eyes went dark and he looked at her with an intensity she hadn't seen before.</p><p>Without warning, she stood on her toes and pulled him down to meet her lips, finally feeling them against hers like she had longed for ever since she saw them curve into a smile just for her for the first time.</p><p>It was a quick kiss, only enough to barely start the spark inside her. He pulled back and looked so surprised, as although he had been hoping it would happen, he definitely didn't expect it to. They had come so close so many times before, but now that it was actually happening he was stunned for a moment.</p><p>Then his eyes moved down to her lips, still parted from their kiss just seconds before. He suddenly let go of her hands and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her entire body close to his. He bent down and hungrily kissed her this time, not holding back like he had for so long. She slid her hand up his chest, feeling his pulse quicken under her touch. Her fingers found the back of his neck, tangling into his hair. It was softer than she had imagined, and she had imagined it many times. Just feeling it wrapped around each finger gave her a rush.</p><p>She grabbed his hair and pulled him down to deepen their kiss as a soft moan escaped his lips. He held her tighter until their bodies were crushed together. Blue could feel the heat from his skin on hers, making her head lose focus. She let it, she didn't need it now. All she needed to do was listen to her body which told her she wanted him, and to listen to his body which told her he wanted her too.</p><p>His hands slid further down, past her waist. He grabbed her and pulled her even closer to him, if that was possible. She could barely breathe, but didn't want to. She wanted this kiss to last forever.</p><p>This kiss.</p><p>This kiss that was breaking her walls down, brick by brick. This kiss that she could feel cracking the facade Gael tried to wear for everyone. His lips felt so good, pushing hers apart and then barely slipping his tongue in. The adrenaline pumping through her veins made her feel bolder than ever, so she nipped at his bottom lip, smiling as he moaned again. He kissed her back so hard she could think of nothing else but the two of them, together finally-</p><p>Suddenly he pulled away and broke the kiss. His breath was heavy, his lips were bright, and his face was flushed...but there was something off. He stepped away from her and she immediately felt the world shift, as though the room spun 180 degrees beneath her feet without any warning.</p><p>"Shit, Blue...shit..." he ran his hand through his hair and then held his fingers on his lips, as though they missed hers being their.</p><p>Hers were definitely feeling very lonely and confused at the moment.</p><p>Breathlessly, he said, "Blue, I'm so sorry-"</p><p>"For what? I'm the one that kissed you." She challenged him and didn't budge, hoping what was happening was not what she thought and that he hadn't just walked away from her.</p><p>"I can't do this, I'm so sorry. I don't know why I just slipped, it's my fault. I wasn't thinking straight, I shouldn't have-"</p><p>She interrupted him again, "I don't know what you want. I know you're kind of my boss or whatever, and we have to work really closely together, but..." she could feel the regret rising in her like the shiny mercury in a thermometer. Her emotions were boiling hot now and she couldn't control them. "Sometimes I get so confused and don't know if you're actually into me or just messing with me."</p><p>"No! Blue I would never - it's not like that. It's just so complicated right now..." he trailed off, unable to further explain.</p><p>She knew exactly what the complications were. "I'm tired of not knowing what is going on between us. It's driving me crazy! We have had all these moments together - I <em>know</em> you know what I'm talking about. I can't ignore it anymore, I don't have the energy and I don't think I should have to." By now she was shaking from withdrawals, the adrenaline from their kiss starting to wear off like a drug. Her anguish kept rising, but her voice got chillingly lower. "You need to pull off your mask for once. Feel your OWN feelings, and decide what YOU want; not what others want - or what you <em>think</em> they want."</p><p>She turned around and started to walk out of his office but stopped before she opened the door, her hand resting on the handle.</p><p>"I'm not your past." She looked over her shoulder at him. "I like you because of <em>you</em>, not all of this," she said as she waved her hand around the theater. "You're worth more than what they all have to say."</p><p>And with that, she opened the door and left him standing as alone as he had just made her feel.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Chapter 17</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>That's what she gets.</p><p>Never be vulnerable - that's the golden rule, and she broke it. Open yourself up? Then you're fragile. Unprotected. Defenseless. Ready for the unforgiving world to punish you for being weak. She could feel each brick of the wall he had just been disassembling with his kiss quickly pile back up and begin to guard her heart again.</p><p>She tried not to run back to her seat to gather her things. There was absolutely no way in hell she could stay in this theater for even one more minute, much less watch the rest of rehearsals. Work be damned, her emotions were a tumultuous storm right now. If she had to watch Gael get up on stage it would be the wave that crashed over her and pulled her down to the darkest depths of the sea. She could not allow that to happen - no, she refused to.</p><p>So she left.</p><p>She texted Kiara that she wasn't feeling well - technically not a lie since her head was already pounding - and that she would be working at home the rest of the day. She had taken a few of the women's hats home so she could add little notions and things she had stored away in her closet. That would have to be her distraction for the day, because she would<em> not </em>be overthinking what just happened.</p><p>No.</p><p>Luckily, she was very well equipped to escape. Maybe it came from when her parents died, maybe it was always in her from day one. Whatever created the switch in her brain that she could easily flip, she was grateful for it now.</p><p>
  <em> Click. </em>
</p><p>The buzzing sound in her head stopped as the lights went dark, and she welcomed the shadows. Here, she could find no complications, no frustration, no frivolous emotions. It was deliciously silent.</p><p>————</p><p>She was leaving the bookstore with three new novels in her hands, all from three different series, when she decided to stop by the grocery store and get something for dinner later. Unable to decide, she got the ingredients to make lasagna and also chicken fried steak, just in case she wanted variety in her choices of comfort food.</p><p>When she was stressed, she controlled her environment by giving herself tons of choices so that when life took her choices away, she could fabricate them. It wasn't necessarily healthy, but it was a coping mechanism that would work for the time being. Flip the switch on emotions, then control the things in her environment that she actually could.</p><p>Having overloaded the shopping bags, yet again, George huffed in disapproval as she struggled to open the door to her apartment building. "Miss Blue, when are you going to learn your lesson?" he asked as he took one of her bags from her arms and carried it for her.</p><p>"Never, probably?" she joked as she sat the bag she was still carrying down on his desk. "I need a break; my arms won't make it up the elevator if I don't take a second." She smiled at him warmly. "Talk to me, George. What's been happenin' while I've been too busy making a mess of my life to know what's going on around here?"</p><p>He looked at her suspiciously, like he didn't trust that she was as jolly as she seemed; her voice didn't match her words. "Oh, well, you know. Nothing too much lately, mostly just dogs barking when they're not supposed to, or people playing their music too loud. That sort of nonsense."</p><p>"See, you always make fun of my cat, but at least she never gets in trouble. Am I right?" She nudged him as he rolled his eyes.</p><p>"That's not a cat, that's some creature you call a cat and are spoiling it so much it thinks it's a human. Cats are supposed to hunt mice and catch birds, not lounge on a couch all day." He began his ritual of taping up some of the holes in her bags that were threatening to burst, making sure to double up on the larger rip on the side.</p><p>"I won't tell Molly you said that, might offend her delicate sensibilities. She's always been a fan of yours, George. You oughta give her a chance."</p><p>He finished taping and looked at her like she was crazy for ever thinking he'd give two hoots about her cat. Nonetheless, he said, "sure, sure...whatever you say, Miss Blue. Can I help you carry this upstairs?"</p><p>"Oh you don't have to do that, I think I'll manage. Thank you, George." She hoisted both bags into her arms and began her treacherous hike up to her apartment.</p><p>George called out to her as she was nearing the elevator, "you sure you're alright? What's that about making a mess of your life? Is everything okay at work?"</p><p>"Oh don't worry, work is fine," she smiled at him sweetly. "Unfortunately it's much more dismal and boring than that: just boy trouble. Can I get any more cliché? Next thing you know I'll be crying at prom because no one asked me to dance."</p><p>He looked at her like he truly had no clue what she was talking about, but still offered, "well...when my daughters had boy trouble growing up I always told them the same thing: don't you ever back down. Be strong, a good man wants that in a woman. Stand your ground, be gentle, but firm." The memories of his late-night talks with his daughters must have taken over his mind for a moment, and he looked like he remembered them fondly. "Not sure if that helps in this situation or not, but that's all I got."</p><p>She chuckled, knowing that she should leave the switch off and not think, but she thanked him for his advice and said he sounded like a wonderful father.</p><p>Leaving George glowing in his memories, she stepped inside the elevator and elbowed the button for the 8th floor until it lit up. The hum of the elevator comforted her, familiarity settling in her chest after such a wreck of a day. Soon she would be in her apartment, free of this world and its complications. She could let her mind truly turn off and enjoy the silence.</p><p>The littlest worm wiggled inside the apple of her mind, munching its way through the flesh. It whispered tiny questions of why she even mentioned her problems to George at all, if they weren't problems? It murmured things about distracting herself with books and cooking wouldn't make the emotions stop, only delay them.</p><p>The bell dinged loudly and the doors opened for her to exit, quieting the voice and allowing her to continue her blissful controlled silence.</p><p>————</p><p>A couple of weeks went by and Blue immersed herself fully in her work. Thankful that her job required long hours and intense concentration, she was able to live her life like nothing happened.</p><p>Or so she pretended.</p><p>She avoided Gael, sending Kiara to his fittings and to make notes during rehearsals, or asking Arjun production questions she needed answers to. It was hard enough to find time to see Gael before when she actually wanted to; now, steering clear of him on purpose was almost too easy. Never being honest with herself about why she was avoiding him, she instead used that time to take a break. For so long she had been confused and agonized about what to do with her feelings for Gael; it was actually delightful for her to not have to worry about it for once. She traded one problem for another, ending her questions and beginning her avoidance.</p><p>It was the first day of tech week and she was excited to finally see everything come together. Things were always incredibly hectic with everyone so exhausted from trying to pull every piece of the play together at the same time. They would start doing full working rehearsals: light cues, orchestra in place, special effects going off with a bang, full costumes with hair and makeup...everything that had been worked on separately for months would finally get tossed into the same salad bowl to see if it worked together. And if it didn't, they had one week to fix it before previews started and select audiences would get a glimpse.</p><p>Blue decided to come in early to double-check every costume hanging in the storage room. Before they even got onto the stage today, she wanted to make sure that not one stitch was loose or one button out of place. Her hands passed over each piece of clothing. Feeling the fabric under her skin eased her worries and calmed her nerves a bit.</p><p>If she thought about it, she might realize she was also nervous because this would be the first time she would have to encounter Gael. She would have to be watching for any rips or broken zippers, and also helping with costume changes since she would be transitioning into the position of wardrobe supervisor as soon as the show was running. She would definitely have to face him at some point.</p><p>Which is exactly why she did<em> not </em>think about it.</p><p>She was upstairs in the hallway where the actors' dressing rooms were, setting up a desk in a corner that she would be using as her headquarters during shows. It was a central location so she could see all the dressers attending to each actor, keep an eye on the racks and make sure everything was labeled and hung correctly, and anyone could easily find her if there was an emergency. She had a very detailed schedule of how and where costume changes were made during the show taped to the wall above the desk, along with a binder full of laundry info for all the dressers to fill out at the end of each night.</p><p>Kiara slumped down into a chair next to her desk, exhaling her breath sharply until it turned into a groan. "Tech has only just started, and I'm already exhausted. I'm not going to survive, this will be what finally ends me. I'll leave you my set of baking pans in my will, if you want? They were expensive."</p><p>Blue put her hand on her heart and said, "Kiara! I would be honored to inherit your pans! Do I have to wait until the funeral is over, or can I get them sooner?"</p><p>"Might as well take them now, they won't be of use to me any time soon anyway. I barely have time to eat and sleep, much less bake." Kiara rubbed her face and leaned her head against the wall behind her.</p><p>"Ain't that the truth." Blue acted like she was tired of the clutter in their life right now, when secretly she was thankful for this mess.</p><p>Malik walked over to them at that moment and sat down next to Kiara, looking just as worn out. "I saw some of the costumes on the ensemble already," he smiled brightly at them both, "looks fucking brilliant! Are you ready to see all your hard work finally come together on the stage?"</p><p>She and Malik had gotten closer over the last month since she needed to dodge the<em> other </em>producer. He was now her go-to for questions she might have previously asked Gael; she knew he probably just turned around and consulted with him anyways, but at least it gave her a chance to get a broader vision for the show from having Malik's perspective too, and she got to know someone new that she ended up really liking. He was actually quite funny and incredibly smart, his creative vision really inspiring her more than she expected. She could see why he worked so great together with Gael-</p><p>Never mind.</p><p>"Actually, yeah! This is what we have been working towards for so long," she said, "I honestly can't wait to see them all in motion under the lights and full of life. I'm going to be up here during the first run through to oversee all the costume changes and work out any kinks, but then I think I'll sneak down and watch the next one so I can see it all come together."</p><p>"What about you?" Kiara asked him, "how are you feeling about everything?"</p><p>Malik took a second and then answered, "pretty good, actually. Gael and I spent some time this weekend really focusing on the press we want to do during previews and I'm pretty excited about it. Not to mention, we booked an amazing venue for the opening night after party. I already have a decent guest list with some big names on there too, so that's encouraging."</p><p>That reminded Blue that she had something for him, and something to ask of him. She reached inside her desk and pulled out a small box, handing it to him mysteriously.</p><p>"Is this what I think it is?" he asked as he began opening the box to reveal a green bow tie made from the same faille that they used for John's suit. "It is! You actually did it! I can't believe you remembered."</p><p>"Oh I remembered, and I intend to collect my favor immediately." She smiled wickedly at him as he stopped inspecting the bow tie and looked up at her.</p><p>"Okay...am I going to regret this?" he asked, worried she was about to request something he couldn't or wouldn't give in to.</p><p>She launched into the story about Ken and his 90's grunge band members, long lost pals that were looking to reunite for one last hoorah. They were all getting along in years and their lives were so excruciatingly passionless now that they hadn't played together in so long, etc...if only there was a time and place they could come together, play for their peers and family, and feel the thrill of performing one last time as a band...</p><p>"Okay, I completely understand the significance of the fact that Ken was in a grunge band, but exactly what do I have to do with that? I'm not adding them to the show if that's what you mean-"</p><p>"No! Nothing like that. That would be an outrageous request, I would never presume to do anything of the sort. I would, however, presume to ask if we could possibly, maybe, host them here in the theater?" She had asked Ken a couple of times since they agreed to get back together if they were still game for a reunion. He informed her that they had begun practicing once a week, just in case Malik agreed and they got the gig. And even if they didn't, they were having a blast playing together again, either way.</p><p>"Maybe after the last performance of opening week? That way it doesn't interfere with your swanky opening night party, but we can still have a more intimate 'cast and crew only' celebration." She put her hands together as if she were pleading for her life. "Come on! I think everyone would love it, and Natasha and I have already planned the entire thing out in our heads. It wouldn't take much work and we will make sure the theater doesn't get harmed - it will be ready for the next performance I swear."</p><p>Malik thought about it for a second, looked over at Kiara who put her hands up to show her innocence and ignorance of this situation. He looked back at Blue and reluctantly said, "okay...I'll have to think about it." He stood up and took out his phone to look at his calendar and make sure there were no conflicts with the date. "I don't see why we couldn't, but let me just mull it over and make sure I'm not making a terrible decision by telling you yes."</p><p>"I knew it! I knew you were the best, Malik! Thank you thank you thank you!" she yelled as she gave him a hug, squeezing him tightly in all of her excitement. As she let go, still smiling brightly, she saw Gael standing there watching the entire thing.</p><p>And at that exact moment, all the bricks that had built her wall came crumbling down to the floor at his feet. The look he had on his face - hell, just his face alone - flipped the switch back on inside her head. All the feelings she had turned off began to flood the room of her mind like a bright bulb illuminating a space that had been dark too long.</p><p>"Hey Gael, guess what Malik just agreed to?" Kiara said as she stood up and started gathering costumes off the rack to take to the dressing rooms.</p><p>"Hey, now wait a minute, I didn't agree to anything yet!" Malik laughed as he turned to face Gael. "Blue wants to have a more intimate cast and crew party after opening week - apparently Ken was in a grunge band and they will perform or something - so I said I would <em> think about it </em>and then decide later." He gave Blue a look that said the answer would be yes, but he wanted to make sure and at least seem like he was doing his due diligence in protecting the theater.</p><p>Gael smirked and said, "yeah that sounds pretty great, I'm game if you are...hey guys, can I talk to Blue alone for a sec?"</p><p>Her heart actually stopped beating. It was a completely useless organ that no longer did its job and needed replacing.</p><p>Kiara looked at Blue questioningly, she wasn't stupid and knew things had been off between them for weeks, but didn't know the extent of it. Blue nodded at her and she slowly walked out with Malik, stranding her alone on an island of desperation.</p><p>Gael waited until they were out of earshot and then ran his hand through his hair.</p><p>Damn him.</p><p>He then cleared his throat before he began speaking. "So...I just wanted to let you know that I'm really sorry about what happened." He couldn't look her in the eye so she couldn't read what was going on behind this mask he wore. "I didn't mean for you to get hurt in any way and I take full responsibility-"</p><p>"I don't need you to take full responsibility." Blue's tone was sharp, "I'm the one that kissed you, remember?" She was just as surprised as he was that apparently her boldness was coming back in full force and ready to shine. Her emotions had just been forced back on and there was nothing she could do to stop them from glaring brightly.</p><p>"Yeah, I definitely remember..." He still didn't look at her and kept his gaze on the ground. "I'm also sorry that we haven't been able to talk or really deal with anything, it's just that I've been so incredibly busy - I know you have been too and it's not an excuse, I'm just...sorry."</p><p>Yeah right, he has been avoiding her just as much as she has him. She wouldn't let herself think about it before, but now that the switch had flipped back on she knew every time she walked by his office the door was shut on purpose. He never once came by the costume shop to check on any progress, even when Malik would come by.</p><p>"But it's tech week and it's going to be rough so I just wanted to clear the air before we had to get thrown into previews," he said as he finally looked up at her.</p><p>"The air is perfectly clear," she retorted quickly. "I'm fine."</p><p>Liar.</p><p>"Cool. Good, that's good. I'm glad." She could finally see his eyes and noticed a crack in his mask; a crack that their kiss had caused. It was there, no matter how he tried to act like it wasn't. "Julian just told me he'd prefer it if you could be my and Kalani's dresser, at least through previews since we have the most changes and the most intricate costumes. Is that okay with you?"</p><p>"I'm a professional, Gael." Oh no, why did she have to say his name? She hadn't let herself think his name, much less say it out loud. The sensation of it on her lips felt so good it almost distracted her from what she was saying. "I'm more than happy to make sure it all gets done right, so tell him that's fine with me."</p><p>He looked back down at the ground and said, "Okay cool, I will let him know. Kalani and I will be up in ten minutes if that's enough time for you to be ready for us?"</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>It was definitely not enough time, but she didn't think she could ask for ten years instead of ten minutes.</p><p>This was going to be terrible.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Chapter 18</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Blue carefully hung Gael and Kalani's costumes for John and Sarah in each of their dressing rooms. She had each one in order of appearance and labeled on the rack, unbuttoned and unzipped so they were ready to easily change into. Luckily no one had any quick changes that required them to change behind scenes, everyone would be able to run up to their dressing rooms with enough time to spare.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kalani showed up first, thank God, so Blue was able to start helping her into her dress before she headed over to Gael's dressing room for the unbearable awkwardness that would surely ensue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How are you feeling?" she asked Kalani as she pulled the zipper up her back, smoothing the bodice as she went.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm great! Excited to finally be able to perform with this on," she said as she ran her hands over her dress. It was the blue day dress that Sarah wears when she meets John for the first time at the summer soirée. The dress was set off the shoulder just enough to show some skin, but still be appropriate for an unmarried girl in the 1860s. The fullness of the bottom was accentuated by the hoop skirt underneath, taking up half of the tiny dressing room's square footage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It really does look perfect on you! I can't wait to see you on stage under the lights and in full character. Knock 'em dead, girl." They high-fived, an inside joke they had developed a few weeks ago when someone teased that they acted like two girls gossiping in the bathroom during class. She watched as Kalani strutted away, her dress swaying perfectly down the hall.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, the hard part.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shuffled unwillingly over to Gael's dressing room, passing quite a few cast members that asked her if they looked good along the way. Every one of them looked perfect and she was so incredibly proud of her work. It almost made up for what she was about to have to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quietly knocking on his door, she hoped he wouldn't hear it and she could run away. Unfortunately, he did hear it and told her to come in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The old door creaked as she slowly pushed it open, peeking her head inside. "Are you ready for me? For me to dress you? I mean to help?" She sighed heavily. "Can I come in?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wow, what a way with words she had.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, I think I have everything except this top button. I'm so sorry, it's not an easy one and I'm afraid I'll rip it." He looked like he had been trying desperately to button his white linen shirt so he wouldn't need to ask for her help. Luckily, his pants and shirt were already on, it was much easier for him to dress himself with no hoop skirt to worry about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's fine, I'd rather you be safe than sorry." She walked over to him and began to button the top of his shirt, making sure to be careful not to touch him since it was very close to his neck. They were suddenly so close now, after not seeing each other in so long, and being </span>
  <em>
    <span>much</span>
  </em>
  <span> closer then. First, her nose betrayed her and happily breathed in the smell of coffee, cedar, and vanilla. Next, her eyes betrayed her as they looked right up into his. He was staring at her, watching her button his shirt for him. She could tell he was trying to keep the mask up, putting on a show of distance, just for her. Finally, her fingers betrayed her as she was done with the button and began to straighten his collar. They grazed over his skin, as light as the autumn breeze that had begun carrying the change of season outside the theater. It was so quick, so slight, that it was barely able to start the winds of desire inside her, but that it did. She felt them blow over her and carry her away to exactly the place she had tried for a month not to be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt angry and sad and frustrated and alone because of how he dealt with their kiss. If he hadn't kissed her back, she could have accepted that. She would have eventually realized she was wrong about his feelings and slowly moved on, embarrassed but not hurt. But she knew, without any doubt, that the way he kissed her was not just a response. It was a need. A need to show how he felt too, a need to touch her and feel her lips against his, a need to have her completely and to let her have all of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But, he couldn't do it. And it hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She dropped her hands and turned away, quickly grabbing the dirty wool jacket he would need to wear in his first scene, still portraying John as destitute and not having climbed out of poverty yet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Here, this one's easy to put on. I'm going to go check on everyone else." She turned and opened the door without waiting for a response.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as she walked out of the room she ran into Arjun who, although he was very stressed out and very busy at the moment, was also very keen at reading people. Especially Blue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Woah, you almost ran over me! You're lucky I...wait...what's wrong?" He grabbed her shoulders and looked at her closely. "Are you okay?" He looked behind her and noticed the dressing room she had just walked out of, then looked back at her again right as a tiny tear fell down her cheek. Grabbing her hand and dragging her down the hall, he began muttering, "that son of a bitch..." and pulled her into a room she hadn't ever seen before. It was an empty room - more of a closet that had been forgotten about. For some reason, there was an open window in the left wall that overlooked the backstage rigging. In the middle of her tears, she wondered why it existed and how she never knew about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What just happened? Don't you dare lie to me Blue, I know it's something to do with Gael. I love him to death, but I swear if he hurt you-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No! He didn't..." she lied. "Nothing happened...today, at least. It's a long story and honestly, I don't think I have the mental capacity to explain it right now. Can we talk about it later?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Blue. You're crying. I've literally never seen you cry, not once. Not even after you broke your finger in college when a serger fell over on top of your hand." He pulled her in for a warm and tight hug. Whether she wanted it or not, he was not letting her go. She felt herself soften a little and let the tears flow faster. As they fell, she took a second to actually feel the pain. Let it wash over her like a hot bath, comforting and burning at the same time. She felt Arjun take a deep breath and her lungs reacted with one of their own. Then another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She finally stepped back and gingerly wiped her face with the back of her hand, trying to not smear her mascara. Arjun abruptly let go of her, walked out of the room, and back in with her purse two seconds later. He handed it to her and she took it, grateful to have such an amazing person in her life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she dug around for her makeup bag, she said, "I know it seems bad, but I promise it's not that big of a deal. I think I've been holding everything in too long-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mhmm." He crossed his arms and looked at her knowingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stuck her tongue out at him and began dabbing her face with her powder pouf to conceal the red blotches caused by crying. "Okay fine, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>know </span>
  </em>
  <span>I've been holding it in too long and it all just finally came tumbling out, onto your shirt. Sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, if you're not going to talk now, which I guess I honestly don't have time at the moment anyway, let's go get drinks tonight? I know I'm going to need one after today and you can spill it all over a margarita. Deal?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small smile appeared on her face, "deal. I'll ask Kiara too, I can tell she's really worried about me but too private to flat out ask me what's going on. She also seemed like she will need a drink after today too." She put her makeup back in her purse. "How do I look?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun raised an eyebrow at her and said, "ravishing, darling. Now let's go show them who's boss. Literally. We are both managing teams of people right now, we have to go!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed out loud as he pushed her out the door and back into reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was able to get through the rest of dressing Gael and Kalani without any problems. In fact, it went incredibly smooth for their very first run-through; only twice were any actors running onstage seconds before missing their cue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She made sure everyone's questions were answered before she headed downstairs to finally see the show. Choosing her favorite spot on the left, a few rows back, she sat down slowly so she wouldn't spill her coffee she just poured herself. Julian saw her and waved, then got up and headed over to lean up against the aisle seat and talk to her about the costumes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Seriously, they're so great Blue. I'm excited for you to see them on stage finally. Everyone was losing their shit this morning, seeing it all come together. The colors are perfect, especially with the lighting Natasha has on them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I can't wait!" she said. "She is brilliant and knew exactly what to do with the fabrics we chose, so I'm sure it's awesome. And I know Eliza worked really hard to coordinate with me so we could help them blend with the scenery, but still stand on their own too. I am really looking forward to the performances, from what I've seen it seems your vision really came to life, yeah?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Honestly, I can't believe how well it's all come together. I think it's going to blow your mind, Blue. Seriously, let me know what you think after it's done, okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Definitely," she nodded at him as he walked back over to his seat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The lights went down and the snare drum began to play. Blue was anxious again for everyone on stage, and hoping it all went as well as the first rehearsal did earlier that day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She could never have expected what she saw happen on stage for the next two hours. Knowing that the show was amazing and even feeling it was going to be something big, that was great. But actually seeing it with her own two eyes coming together in front of her, that was exquisite. To watch the actors transform into their characters and make them real, seeing them tell Gael's story so perfectly and with such conviction...it was so wonderful it almost hurt. All of her hard work, her risks and experiments, they were all paying off now on the stage, and soon for the entire world to see.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She consumed every second of the show with greed, wanting it to never end. Every song, every line, and dear God those costumes. It was vain, she knew it, but those costumes were perfect. They were exactly what she imagined, brought to life by the amazing team of people that had been working together with her towards this common goal. The goal of making it the best show that it could possibly be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And they had succeeded. Magnificently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Watching Gael didn't hurt like she expected it to. At first, she tried to ignore him and focus on the other characters, really taking in their performances. But her eyes kept going back to him. He was so vibrant on stage, like his saturation was turned up too high so that he caught her eyes more than anything else in front of her. Even if she didn't have a deeply ingrained attraction to him, she still wouldn't have been able to ignore his presence. Every word that fell from his mouth was sharp and cut like a two-edged sword, striking its victim before they even knew it had pierced their mind. She watched him move across the stage and lead the show with such ease and power, it was impossible not to let her feelings surge yet again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was in trouble. She could feel herself falling again, and this time she wasn't sure there would be anything that could stop her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bar that Arjun chose was close to her apartment, for which she is grateful. She went home after leaving the theater and changed out of her work clothes quickly, then headed out to meet him and Kiara for a drink. Or two. It had already been dark for a while by the time she left, and the nights were still warm enough that she could wear a long-sleeved crop top and her high waisted jeans. This outfit accentuated her small waist and tonight, she just needed to feel good about herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She saw Arjun and Kiara waiting for her inside already, so she weaved her way through the crowd until she finally reached them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You already ordered for me? Wow, you really want to get my lips loose as fast as possible so I'll hurry and tell you everything." She chugged a few big gulps down and then smacked her lips with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>pop</span>
  </em>
  <span> and said, "good idea!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara laughed and said, "I wonder if I'm going to like drunk Blue? Or maybe she will be even more sarcastic and I'll want to bang my head against this bar to drown out the sound of her one-liners."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"First of all, no one here is getting drunk tonight. We have to be up way too early tomorrow for that. Also, I hate to break it to you, but I get very sappy when drunk; that is exactly why Arjun suggested drinks tonight, it's the best way to get me to talk about my </span>
  <em>
    <span>feelings.</span>
  </em>
  <span>"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Speaking of which," he said, "why don't you just go ahead and start doing exactly that. I think I've waited patiently enough for this story. You know this was excruciating for me." He clenched his hand over his chest, as though it literally had caused him physical pain to wait for some gossip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue had debated all day on how much to tell them. The sting of it was still so fresh, and the hurt was still so raw. She didn't like letting someone else in on her stupid decision to kiss Gael and it backfiring. However, she really was at a loss and didn't know what to do. She knew after today that she still very much wanted something to happen with Gael, but was hurt by what had already happened. She decided to tell them the basics: she kissed him thinking it would go well, it </span>
  <em>
    <span>did </span>
  </em>
  <span>go well, and then he freaked out and it has been a complete cease-fire ever since.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They looked at each other, then back at her. Kiara spoke up first, "so...that's it? You're just going to give up because he was freaked out? Screw him, he doesn't get to be freaked out. Look at what's in front of him," she said as she waved at Blue, "but instead he's going to worry about </span>
  <em>
    <span>Crazy Carrie</span>
  </em>
  <span>, who is SO far behind him? No. That's a very unintelligent decision and should be obvious to him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue appreciated that she didn't hold back. She always preferred someone to blunt over being delicate. If anything, she needed honesty right now more than ever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, I mean I agree, but it's easier said than done." Blue couldn't believe she was defending Gael's freak out. "She messed with his head, he's literally in therapy because of the shit she did to him and obviously not ready to move on. Am I supposed to force him into it? That doesn't seem right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Who says you have to force anything?" Arjun said quietly as he took a sip of his cocktail, staring at the good looking bartender who was making a drink at the other end of the bar. "From what I've heard, and seen for myself, there's nothing </span>
  <em>
    <span>forced</span>
  </em>
  <span> about it. He's got it bad for you, so bad it has him scared, at least that's my bet. And I think I can say the same for you, although I also bet you're starting to come around to the fact that there's no escaping this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sat his drink down and looked at Blue so intensely she was a little worried. "You want to know what I think? I say stop worrying about being gentle with him and start doing what you do best: light up his fucking world. You're a goddamn enchanted mushroom and being around you is the best trip of anyone's life. He has a therapist honey, he doesn't need another one. He needs to </span>
  <em>
    <span>live his life</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He needs more than just his work. I told you, he's a genius, but he's also an idiot if he doesn't see that being with you would be the best decision he could ever make."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara and Blue both gaped at him, stunned by his words. Blue stood up slowly from her seat and walked over to hug him for the second time today. "Thank you. You're too good to me,” she said quietly over the music in the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pulled back and kissed her on the cheek, "no darling, I'm just as good as you deserve. Now let's get another drink and forget our worries for the night. I think we have solved them all anyway, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiled at him and raised her glass, "right."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After stumbling home later that night, Blue was laying in her bed trying to fall asleep but couldn't get comfortable. She would toss to one side, then turn right back to the other. Every time she moved, Molly would peek open one eye and give her a grunt of disapproval. Tired of trying and failing to sleep, she begrudgingly got out of bed, dragging her blanket with her to go sit on her tiny balcony and get some fresh air. She had a comfy rattan chair hidden amongst the dozen plants that had overtaken the space. It was like a very small secret garden that she could hide in when she was tired of being inside, but didn't want to leave the house. She flipped on the twinkling fairy lights that wove between all the plants and the railing of the balcony, wrapping her blanket tighter around her as she sat down in the chair with a </span>
  <em>
    <span>thud</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Being uncomfortable in her bed wasn't really what was keeping sleep from finding her. Her mind wouldn't stop thinking about what Arjun said earlier that night, about how she just needed to let things go and be herself. It sounded so cliché it almost made her gag, but he wasn't wrong. She didn't need to fix Gael, she just needed to be the light that he was drawn to which helped illuminate his own path. He had to walk that journey himself, but she couldn't turn down her glow just to make things easier. She would do what Aunt Millie pushed her to do when she was in the darkness after her parents died: push herself to not dim her emotions. She needed to feel everything, even the hurt. She would do what George said, be strong and bright and not back down about how she felt. And she would do what Arjun said to do...light up his fucking life.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Chapter 19</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Previews finally started and everyone's nerves began to settle. The snags they encountered during tech week were getting fixed with each show, not that there were too many to begin with, but with an audience in the house the pressure was on to make it as tight as possible. Blue still marveled at how this amazing team could do so well at working together to make the show as mind-blowing as it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hardest part of her job now wasn't managing a team of dressers, or making sure all the actors were where they were supposed to be when they were supposed to be there so no one missed their cue. It wasn't even making sure the costumes were properly laundered and put away for each show. By far, the most difficult task she had was dressing Gael. Being stuck in his dressing room with him, alone, while he took his shirt off multiple times a day...that was pure torture.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once at a matinee show, his zipper got stuck and she had to help him get out of his pants during intermission. They were very lucky they had a little time to slowly work the slider along each element so it would engage properly and not need to be ripped off and mended later. They were not lucky, however, that this meant Blue had to work on the zipper of his pants for three excruciatingly long minutes while they both felt the tension simmering between them. She was trying not to think about anything but the zipper that needed to be salvaged. Be a professional.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well at least this isn't awkward at all," Gael said suddenly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She let out an unexpectedly loud laugh and felt the tension ease a little. "Yeah well, I have been in worse situations with zippers before. One time I had to liberate someone's earlobe from a vicious one that wouldn't let go. Don't even ask me how it got attached to their ear, because I honestly have no idea." The zipper finally slipped smoothly along its tracks and she was able to stand up. "Got it! Okay let's make sure and be gentle during the show tonight and I'll take the pants home to rework the zipper for tomorrow."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, I probably was in too much of a hurry and jammed it. Thanks for the help and for not making me feel like an idiot for not being able to unzip a zipper." He ran his hand through his hair and reached out for the next pair of pants he was supposed to be wearing as Blue handed them to him. She looked at him as he took the pants from her and said, "it's just a zipper. It's not a big deal. I don't want you to ever feel bad asking me for anything. I just want things to be okay," she cleared her throat and looked away, "with everything, I mean. I'm always happy to figure things out with you - your zippers. Or buttons. Whatever."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His brow was furrowed slightly as he slipped the pants on and still didn't smooth out as he sat down to put on his boots. "Blue, I know things have been weird between us. You have no idea how sorry I am for that." He looked up at her, "truly, I wish I could go back and...well what happened was all my fault and I want-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It wasn't your fault, Gael. Stop saying that. I'm the one that..." she trailed off, not daring to let the words '</span>
  <em>
    <span>kissed you when you weren’t ready’</span>
  </em>
  <span> fall from her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, that's not what I mean. It's my fault that it went so badly," she turned her head and gave him an incredulous look, "no! I don't mean it was bad! It was great, mind-blowing really...no, sorry, anyway my point is that I freaked out and didn't handle it the right way, and I'm sorry for that. I can't imagine what you think of me, but I just want you to know," he paused for a second and stood up, tucking in his shirt. "I miss you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No breath was entering or exiting her lungs, the muscles wouldn't move and her brain couldn't catch up quickly enough to make them work the way they should.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I miss just being around you. I miss your sense of humor. Even just talking to you about the most dull parts of life is fun, somehow. And your smile, I miss your smile." He looked so transparent and unconstrained, his mask was off for just a moment. For once, he wasn't holding himself back or putting on a show for anyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I miss your smile too," she said in a small brave voice, feeling her boldness come back slightly with him being so open with her now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And for being so brave she was rewarded with that smile she had missed more desperately than she dared to admit. His beard was full now for the show and framed his mouth in an even more delicious way than ever before. She drank in every drop of his smile and felt her lips curve up in response. It was only fair that she gave him his reward as well, so she didn't hold it back at all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't think anything, by the way," she said, "I don't know what you've got running through that head of yours, but whatever it is I promise it's nowhere near what's going on in here," she said as she tapped her head. "I'm confused, sure. A little hurt," he winced at those words and sat back down on the chair in front of his well-lit mirror, "but I'd love to just go back to things being easy between us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael nodded and said, "I agree. know I have a lot of explaining to do and all I'm asking for is a chance to do that."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She thought for a second, then finally said, "well to be completely honest, I really miss your lattes more than anything. Maybe one day we can have coffee and you can tell me all about how wonderful I am?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Finally, the truth comes out," he joked. "She's just been using me for my espresso machine this whole time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There it was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue felt it fall into place, heard the </span>
  <em>
    <span>snap </span>
  </em>
  <span>as their groove came back together like a puzzle piece fitting into its match. The feeling was marvelous, starting to mold back together with each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I mean I feel completely justified in my actions, you can't make a girl a latte that good and not expect her to come back begging for more." He raised his eyebrows and smirked at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Obviously she was getting bolder with each second that passed and needed to get out of there before she went too far, too fast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, well now that you are dressed and no longer in danger of ruining all of my hard work, I'm going to check on Kalani and make sure no one else needs anything."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turned to leave and as she was about to walk out he said, "thanks again, Blue. For rescuing my zipper and for...understanding."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Like I said, don't ever feel like you have to keep anything from me. My goal is always for things to be okay between us, whatever that takes."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then she left him there, hoping he knew she meant it with every atom in her body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The weeks went by and the excitement for opening night began to build. The cast and crew worked tirelessly to tighten every step of the show until it was perfect. Actually, literally, perfect. No mistakes, not even one blunder on the stage or behind the scenes. They were ready for the critics to come and review the show, for the world to finally get a glimpse of what they had been working on for so long, and for Gael's story to be told.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue had loved supervising the wardrobe and being able to make sure her creations were well taken care of. She really enjoyed working with each person on her team and they all took their role seriously, making her job easier. By now, they had established their routine and everyone knew what was expected of them. Each show's costume changes were beginning to become second nature and no one was confused about what waistcoat went to which actor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The general reactions from the preview audiences had been extremely positive too, which had everyone floating on the prospect that when they officially opened, it could be a hit. No one ever wants to admit they want to be a part of a bestseller - they were all just there for the creative fulfillment </span>
  <em>
    <span>of course</span>
  </em>
  <span> - but when the buzz started flying around that the reception was really good so far, everyone got excited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the curtain call of the last show before opening night, Blue was downstairs talking to Jin about a broken clothes rack she had and was asking if he could possibly fix it, or maybe even build her a new one. She noticed that more cast and crew than normal were hanging out backstage, enjoying their high after having two really successful shows that day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I think if I just take some two-by-fours and build you a new one, it will end up saving me time in the long run because I won't have to just fix this one again. It's got to be thirty or forty years old; it's done its job well, but I think its time has come." Jin patted the clothes rack sentimentality, as though it was about to be sent on to clothes rack heaven.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well whatever you think is best, I just appreciate you taking the time to help me out," she said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh it's no trouble, I haven't had much of anything to do for Eliza other than little fixes here and there. I'm glad to have a project to work on for you, I'll try and get it done as soon as possible." He smiled at her and added, "wouldn't want those beautiful masterpieces to end up on the floor because of some rickety old rack." He winked at her and started hauling away the old one to throw in the scrap pile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh now I see why Eliza keeps you around, you're full of flattery!" She patted his back and thanked him again, heading back through the crowd of cast and crew to go upstairs and start her process of keeping track of laundry. They had one dark day to recuperate and then it would be opening night, so she was going to stay late and make sure every piece got started in its laundering process, and then come back the next day to finish up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On her way through the crowd, she saw Gael standing in the middle of a group of actors, cracking jokes, and basking in all of their camaraderie. She thought about congratulating them all on a wonderful performance tonight, but a hand reached out and grabbed her arm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, Blue. Glad I found you! I've been looking everywhere upstairs." It was Connor, one of the lighting guys that she rarely ever spoke to. Not that she had any reason not to, she just never seemed to interact with anyone up there much, except for Natasha.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, yeah sorry. I was down here talking to Jin about a broken clothes rack. What's wrong? Did Natasha say there was a problem with one of the lights on a costume? It all looked really good to me tonight."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smirked at her, "no, Natasha didn't send me. I actually just wanted to ask you a question about the opening night party. I wondered if you wanted to go together? I could pick you up and we could even get drinks after, if you're up for it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh, damn it all to hell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She felt like she had been hit by a sandbag falling from the ceiling of the theater, like in the cartoons she watched growing up. There was no way she expected those words to come out of this guy's mouth, a guy she hadn't even talked to more than once or twice about moving a spotlight or adding a different gel to a light to change the color slightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked over at Gael, who was now watching them like a lion who's prey was about to be stolen by a tomcat. Unsure of how to get out of this situation gracefully, she decided on saying, "you know what, I don't actually know what my plans are that night, I'm not sure what I'll be available to do since I'll be going with my friends. Can I get back to you on that?" She smiled at him and started heading upstairs without waiting for his answer, hoping she escaped without giving him too much hope.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least Gael seemed to care. Quite a bit. They hadn't been able to see each other too much since they sort of made amends. She still had no explanation of his reaction to their kiss, still hadn't been able to have coffee with him, she barely even had a chance to talk to him other than asking if he had the right undershirt on for the upcoming scene. It seemed a little odd that he would care so much about Connor asking her out, but she couldn't spend too much time thinking about it because she had work to do.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Chapter 20</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She spent a couple of hours doing inventory and making sure each piece was being laundered correctly. It was so late she could barely keep her eyes from closing, finding herself rubbing them more often than they were actually open. She packed up her stuff and grabbed her sweater. The nights were getting chilly and she was wearing a gray jersey knit t-shirt dress which didn't offer too much protection from the cool New York City nights, but it was amazingly cool and comfy for the often stifling dressing rooms of the theater. She was turning off some lights as she walked out of the theater, assuming most everyone had gone home for the evening since tomorrow they were all off. When she got all the way downstairs and was at the end of the hall, she noticed Gael's light was still on. Opening the door, she reached in to turn the light off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh! Sorry, I thought pretty much everyone was gone. We have to stop meeting like this," Blue joked, referring to when he scared her in the break room late at night, months ago now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael was typing on his computer and didn't stop, only muttering "mhmm" and not even looking up from the screen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Odd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is everything okay? The show went really well tonight, I think we are going to kill it on opening night," she said, trying to cheer him up in case he was anxious.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, should be good." That was it, nothing else. He still didn't even look up from his computer, but she could read his face a tiny bit. It let her know he was feeling something she had only seen once before when Carrie came to visit him uninvited: he was pissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She racked her brain for any problems that could have gone on during the show to upset him, but it really was a perfect night. He had seemed in a good mood earlier when she saw him talking to everyone, until Connor-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh. That was it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Here he was, jealous of another guy asking her out, when he had never even done that himself. Well, not technically at least.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you upset with me about something? If so, feel free to let me know. If I did anything wrong during the show I want to fix it-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh shit, no Blue nothing happened during the show, sorry. It was a great night, you're right." He had stopped typing and looked up at her. Finally. He ran </span>
  <em>
    <span>both </span>
  </em>
  <span>his hands through his hair. She prepared herself for whatever he was about to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's just, we never got to talk about, well, you know...everything. And I just feel like things were back to kind of going well, right? I thought so at least. It's been so insanely busy so I don't know, maybe I read things wrong. And then Connor-"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wait, you're upset because Connor asked me out? You can't be serious." She didn't know why she was so immediately upset, but she could feel the anger building up like the fire in a dragon's belly, preparing to unleash if she needed it. "First of all, I don't think you have any right to care about who asks me out. You flirted with me relentlessly, then when I kissed you it was over - and I understand there's more to that story, but I've yet to hear it. So I'm still standing here, confused as hell about what is going on between us. And now you're pissed at Connor for being nice and asking me out like a normal person would do?" That one was meant to burn, the fire still dripping from her tongue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh whatever, Blue, he doesn't have any interest in taking you to the party, as though it were a fucking school dance. He just wants in your pants."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah?" she said. "Well at least someone does."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fire was no longer containable, it had pushed its way up until it erupted from her mouth in scorching flames. She had felt her pain, she had felt her doubts, she had even felt her embarrassment. It was now time to feel her anger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you kidding me?" He stood up now, exasperated enough to no longer be able to sit. "No. There's no way. You're too smart. You know </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly </span>
  </em>
  <span>how crazy you drive me. I know you do because you flirt just as hard right back at me. Every time you touch me or make innuendos, or hell, even straight-up purposely bend over right in front of me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blushed at being called out, so she decided to return the favor. "Then why did you never take any more steps towards me? Why did you run away from me after I kissed you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Because I was afraid!" He stopped and looked down, feeling relief for finally saying it out loud, and yet also regretting it being out in the open now. "I was afraid that what happened with Carrie would happen again. I was afraid of what people would say if they knew I was with yet another costume designer from one of my shows. I was afraid..." he paused for a second and looked straight into Blue's eyes. "I was afraid of how much I like you and that I would mess things up. Which might have already happened."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he spoke, everything finally fell into place for Blue. Now she could understand why he would flirt so persistently, but never follow through with anything further. She had suspected what he just confirmed, he was ripped into two parts: the side that was ready to move on and the side that was still obstructed by the trauma caused by Carrie. He had continuously opened up to Blue and reached out, but could never connect completely because he always held himself back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It hurt, I won't lie," Blue said, shifting back and forth on her tired feet. "I spent a lot of time recently trying to just forget everything and move on. But if you would have just </span>
  <em>
    <span>talked</span>
  </em>
  <span> to me about it, we could have dealt with this weeks ago."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All Gael could say was, "I know I should have, I'm sorry."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue's curiosity got the better of her and she asked, "then why didn't you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked away from her, trying to find the words to explain. "When you kissed me, everything was amazing, really really amazing...and then something happened in my brain and I don't know, I just freaked out and had to stop everything." He paused and the look in his eyes was something Blue recognized. It was the look of not understanding why something from your past could control how you felt and reacted in your present. "I was really confused for a while afterward, unsure of how to differentiate between what I was feeling for myself and what was a pressure I had let others put on me." He glanced over at her then, admitting, "you were right. I did need to take a step back and decide what I want. I can't be afraid of what might happen."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moved from behind the desk and slowly walked closer to Blue who was still standing by the door. "I can't be afraid of how I feel about you. I'm pretty sure it's very obvious anyway. You have driven me crazy since the first second you walked into this office."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was getting closer, still.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The first day I met you, I could have bent you over this desk right then."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was only a foot away from her, his eyes darker than she'd ever seen before. The way he was looking at her made her own fire turn a different shade. She was no longer angry, but greedy. What she wanted was right in front of her and she was tired of waiting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I would never have let you bend me over. I already told you, I like to be on top."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A small smile quickly appeared on his mouth before disappearing again as he moved the final step towards her and pushed her up against the door. She dropped her bag and sweater where she stood as he held her face in both of his hands, finally kissing her without holding back. It was a burning kiss that melded his fire to hers, their lips so hot it was almost painful. She could feel every inch of him pressing into her, frustrated from being so close to him, but still not close enough. She kissed him back with every bit of heat she had, wanting him to know that this kiss would not - could not - end. As her hands wrapped around to the back of his neck, trying to pull him closer to her, she remembered their last kiss as he suddenly broke away from her again. He left one hand on her cheek as he used his other one to lock the door. He leaned his forehead against hers for a second and she started kissing him again, biting his lip just enough to make him moan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Using both hands, he picked her up and pushed her against the door again as she wrapped her legs around his waist. This was getting closer, but still not close enough.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Desk," she breathed as he started kissing her neck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He understood and carried her over to the desk, setting her down on the edge and knocking over a few stacks of papers in the process. Blue was grateful there were no half-empty cups of coffee laying around for once. Her legs still around his waist, the hem of her dress was riding up higher and higher. Gael ran his hands along her thighs, sending flames along her skin with every touch. He kissed her again, flicking his tongue inside her mouth and making her slide closer to the edge of the desk so she could feel him against her. Even through his clothes she was aware of how hard he was already, which made the normally beloved fabric between them her new enemy. As she moved against him, he moaned again into her mouth. She smiled against his lips and broke away to look at him while she grabbed his hand and moved it to the inside of her thigh. He slowly moved higher and higher up the tender skin of her leg until she gasped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cursed in Spanish. "Blue, I don't think I can stop," he said, his voice low and his face tormented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nipped at the tender spot right below his ear on his neck and he moaned louder than before. Tucking that spot away in her mind to remember for later, she whispered "good" into his ear as she started undoing his pants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She couldn't believe she was finally taking off his pants for her own benefit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael grabbed his wallet before his pants hit the floor, taking out a small square package and quickly opening it. Reaching down to help him, she watched his face the entire time. The look of exhilaration in his eyes told her he was just as eager as she was, and with him in her hands now she could tell he was just as excited.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was at the very edge of the desk so she let him guide himself inside her. Her head fell back and he kissed her neck. They sat there for a moment catching their breath as she felt him filling her completely. He could barely mumble, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>tú sientes muy bien</span>
  </em>
  <span>..." into her neck as he tried to hold himself together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time, her Spanish didn't fail her. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>Tú también."</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked up at her, eyes wide. She kissed him, urging him to move. She needed the friction now before she lost her mind from craving him for too long with no release. Finally feeling his skin light fire to hers with each touch was better than she could have ever dreamt. She never wanted to stop touching him, already addicted to the sensation of their bodies melting together. They quickly moved in unison, each feverish for the heat that they had denied from each other for so long. But Gael didn't hold back at all now. For once, he let go of the world around him and mercilessly crushed her body against him. There was no more mask. He couldn't contain himself from taking what he needed from her, and seeing him in control absolutely consumed her. She ran her hand through his hair, tangling it in her fingers at the bottom of his neck as she held on and began to lose herself. She kissed him again to muffle her moans then her head fell back as she let the trembles blaze over her body. She could feel herself tighten over him as he pushed his face into her neck, teeth grazing her skin as he moved erratically, eventually slowing down to a complete stop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Listening to him breathe against her skin, she soaked up the heat from each exhale and ran her hand down his back, feeling his muscles twitch. He slowly looked up at her and she began to smile at him, endorphins ruling over her mind and body now. She gave him a small kiss, right on the corner of his mouth where his smile met his beard. He slowly pulled out of her and stood up, letting her legs down so she could stand as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They began to reassemble the very little clothing they had undone in such a hurry, working in silence. She stared at him, trying to figure out what he was thinking. He glanced up at her after buttoning the last button with a disconcerted look on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" she asked, a little worried about what he might say. After his reaction to their first kiss, she wasn't exactly sure how he would react to this </span>
  <em>
    <span>escalated</span>
  </em>
  <span> situation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was quiet for a second, thinking before saying, "that's not exactly how I imagined our first time together would be...sorry if I was a little bold." He actually blushed, his cheeks slightly filling with color above his beard. The man that was so smooth and flirted effortlessly without even thinking twice, was blushing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed out loud at this, wrapping her arms around his waist and pulling him closer. He was already too far away and she hadn't had her fill of his touch just yet, unsure she ever would be satisfied. "It's okay, Gael. I'm not some wispy dandelion that if you move too quickly will fly away in tiny pieces. You don't have to be careful. And I was just as much a part of this as you were, so don't try to take all the credit yourself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes crinkled at the corners as he laughed at her. "Can I walk you home?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked over at the clock on the wall and realized how late it was, immediately feeling bad for even considering accepting his offer. She knew Gael had an incredibly busy day that would start in only a few hours, but if it meant more time with him, she would walk to the moon and back. "Sure," she said as she made no effort to move from his arms. He was staring at her so intensely that she felt like looking away, but couldn't. He bent his head down and placed his forehead against Blue's again, this time holding it there while his nose brushed against hers. She waited for him to move, holding on to the hope that he wouldn't.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He reached down and took her hand, pulling it up to his lips. This wasn't a quick kiss on her knuckles meant to tease like before. His hand was intertwined with hers, holding her fingers against his mouth as he inhaled slowly, savoring her touch. "Come on, it's late."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were mostly silent the entire way home, not much needed to be said now that he was able to hold her hand. On the subway ride, she was so tired and content that she let her head sink into his shoulder as she drifted in and out of an in-between world. She wasn't sure if it was a dream, or if he was really gently stroking her hair as she sat wrapped up in his arms, swaying back and forth on the underground tracks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is your stop, right?" he asked as they began to slow down at the 59th Street - Columbus Circle Station. She looked up and mumbled, "unfortunately."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael held her hand again as they walked the measly two blocks to her apartment building, running his thumb along the back of her wrist. She could feel the silvery cord linking them together was already weaving in new threads, stronger than it had been before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"This is me," she said as they neared the front door of her building.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stopped abruptly, pulling Blue towards him and into his arms again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looked up, staring into his painfully beautiful eyes from only inches away. They were even more telling now that his mask was gone, she swore she could see every thought in his mind as it evolved from concept to action. She wanted to taste his lips again more than anything, but pulled back slightly as he bent his head to kiss her. A small smile played at the corners of his mouth as she barely brushed her lips against his, moving excruciatingly slow. He let go of the breath he didn't realize he was holding as she gently pulled on his shirt and brought him closer, deepening their kiss. They were in no rush, no need to hurry or hide, just finally able to be with each other. He kissed her there in the dark like she was the only thing that existed in his universe; and for that moment, she was.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue felt the fire begin to burn inside her so she gently - reluctantly - pulled away, knowing he wouldn't be able to take much more either. "I should go get some sleep, and I don't want to keep you out too late."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hated every word she just said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed heavily, stalling at what he was about to say. "Blue, I am sorry that I don't know what our future looks like. I have to focus on the show right now, I know you already know that, but now is when I'll be even more tied up than ever before."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have to focus on the show too. I don't expect anything, Gael." She wasn't sure where he was going, but it made her nervous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thought for a moment, sensing her worry and trying to find the right words. "I've never felt so at ease with anyone before. Somehow you make me feel like you really don't expect anything from me, when literally the entire rest of the world does expect something from me, in some way or another. I know you have your job to do, and so do I...but I </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>want this to work." His eyes looked desperate as he tried to get across what he was saying. "I need it to," he said as he pulled her in for a small, sweet kiss. "What I mean is...can we just take things slow?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She considered it for a moment, then finally said, "I don't mind, I can go slow." She lightly kissed right below his ear again, memorizing the feel of her lips on his skin to help her get through the coming days. "Slow can be exciting," she whispered in his ear as she felt the thrill of her closeness make him tremble slightly. She abruptly took a step back and started to turn and walk away saying, "alright, I guess I better go then," with a wicked smile on her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He laughed but didn't let go of her hand, pulling her back to him, "no way, not happening."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His kiss was delicious enough to keep her from starving until the next time they would be alone.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Chapter 21</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Blue worked the entire first half of her day off. Normally she wouldn't have taken so long to check on all the costumes and make sure they were cleaned and put away, but she was a little distracted. Gael kept texting her, even though he was extremely busy with press for the show all day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not to mention, thoughts of having sex on Gael's desk downstairs the night before had her mind a little preoccupied as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she steamed a dress to get a few wrinkles out, she thought about what he had said he was feeling after their first kiss. She couldn't imagine being so afraid of what others said or thought, enough so to deny oneself any happiness, or hell, even pleasure. Knowing about what Carrie put him through did help her understand a little, he had a terrible experience and obviously was still trying to get past that. Also, it was weird, even to her, that she and Carrie both were costume designers. She knew it must have concerned Gael too and only added to his stress about liking her, keeping him away for so long. It did break her heart, though, when he said he was afraid he had already messed things up with her. She hoped he got the hint, not even one minute later, that obviously things were capable of being </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> fine between them. She still needed to get him to understand that she was in this for the long haul.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hands froze. She hadn't really admitted that to herself until that moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Setting the steamer down on the table next to her, she gave the dress in front of her a blank stare. Did she really just jump from '</span>
  <em>
    <span>he's attractive and fun to be around' </span>
  </em>
  <span>all the way to '</span>
  <em>
    <span>let's start a relationship' </span>
  </em>
  <span>that quickly? That should probably not be something she talked about with Gael just yet. He asked to take things slow, and she was willing to do that. Blue told herself she just needed to stop thinking so much, go with the flow more, and just let things develop organically. No need to freak him out by saying, "hey do you want to move in together this week?" and have him run for the hills. She would have to think of other ways to show him she was serious about making things work with him and that he didn't need to be afraid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally ready for the next day's opening night performance, she closed up the costume shop and headed home to put the final touches on her own dress. She had been working for weeks in her spare time on the formal attire that was required to be worn by Malik at the opening night party. It wasn't likely she would be showing up in something off a rack, being the costume designer after all. No, she had designed and made something for herself that came to her in a dream. It wasn't a spooky shaman premonition or anything, it's just what happened to her occasionally when her brain was processing all the thoughts of fabrics and dresses on her mind while she slept. She had envisioned a dark emerald green velvet dress with a plunging neckline and a high slit that parted the long heavy skirt. When she woke up she immediately sketched it out and went shopping for fabric later that day after work. It was nice to create something for herself for once, after making so many costumes for the production in the last few months. She had slowly pieced it together in her bedroom, scraps of green velvet turning into playthings for Molly to attack while Blue cut and trimmed. The color would look amazing against her skin, which was good since she was showing a good bit of it. Not so much it was scandalous, it was long sleeves since it was already the beginning of October and the skirt went down to the floor. But the neckline and slit showed all the essential skin, so it was important that the color showed it off as best as possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After adjusting the length of the dress to fit the height of the shoes she finally found to wear with it, she tried it all on together. Looking in the mirror she was very excited she took the chance on the plunging neckline. She wouldn't have admitted she was trying to drive Gael crazy before, but now she couldn't wait to see his reaction. Hopefully, it would make things difficult for him - he did torture her by keeping his distance for so long, so he deserved a little torture himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue ran into two dressers and one actor backstage the next evening, everyone so excited about opening night that they weren't watching where they were going. The anticipation of opening night was unlike any other experience on earth, intensely bubbling up in everyone like a cauldron ready to boil over. Some people got giddy, some got stressed, but everyone came together in the end with one goal: standing ovation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It had become a tradition that now almost every new show received a standing ovation on opening night, whether or not it actually deserved it. The audience either reluctantly stood up and put on fake smiles trying to be polite, or they erupted out of their seats thrilled by the phenomenon they just witnessed. Obviously, everyone hoped for the latter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was waiting for Kalani in her dressing room, holding the next dress she would need to have on for the scene where John finally makes his way back home to Sarah after the war has ended. Suddenly, Kalani rushed in and immediately started yelling, "something is wrong! I can't breathe...what's happening!" She was clutching her chest and Blue noticed how quickly it moved, shallow breaths barely making their way into Kalani's lungs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's going to be okay! Sit down here and let me see you." She looked at Kalani's ashen face and saw her lips were turning blue. She wasn't getting enough oxygen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Kalani, I'm going to undo your dress in the back, okay? I don't think you're getting enough air so I am going to loosen your corset." Kalani nodded her head, unable to speak. Blue quickly started undoing the laces, not caring if anything ripped. Who had tied these so tight? This was way more tight-fitting than she normally had them. As soon as she reached the laces that were around Kalani's ribs she heard her take in a huge gulp of air, wheezing in and out for a few seconds. Blue moved quickly to undo the rest of the laces and then rushed around to look at Kalani's face again. Her color was returning already and she looked less panicked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What the hell happened!" Gael called out from the doorway, breathing heavily from bolting through half the theater to check on Kalani.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Her corset was too tight," Blue said calmly. "I don't know who laced it but I'm going to find out. Stay with her and keep her breathing steady. I'll be back in one minute, we still have to get you both changed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wait," Kalani breathed, still taking deep inhales of the air she desperately needed. "I asked Alexis to do it up tighter than normal...this is my own fault...don't blame her." She gave Blue a sheepish look and lowered her eyes to the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue stared at her, confusion slowly turning to understanding. "Gael, will you please excuse us? You can start changing and I'll be over in a second."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael looked back and forth between the two of them, completely not understanding the unspoken language between these two women. "You sure you're okay now, Kalani?" he asked as he slowly started heading towards the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nodded, "I'm fine." Not looking up, she gently started sliding the dress off as Blue crossed her arms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the door was finally shut, Blue said, "so are you going to tell me why you asked Alexis to tie those laces so tight you couldn't breathe, or should I take the liberty to explain it for you?" The look on Blue's face was pure fury, and her voice was dripping with rage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kalani shrugged and said, "oh come on, do we have to do this right now? I know it was a mistake. You have no idea the pressure I'm under to look good on stage!" She looked embarrassed at what happened, but desperate to make Blue understand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't give a good goddamn what anyone says about your fucking waistline, Kalani! You could have really been hurt! You should know better than anyone that it's impossible to go out there and sing for five minutes straight if you can't even </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe</span>
  </em>
  <span> properly! If you pull this shit again I swear to all things holy I will fucking tie you down and make you listen to me tell you how fabulous you are for ten straight hours. Do I make myself clear?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kalani had half of her next dress on and was just standing there, blinking at Blue like she had literally bit her head off, not just figuratively. "Wow...you curse like a sailor when you're mad," was all she had to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue huffed and went over to help her pull the rest of the dress up. Once it was over her shoulders, she stopped and gave Kalani a quick hug. "I'm not a hugger, so you better feel real special right now." Kalani laughed and squeezed her tighter just to annoy her further.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm sorry, Blue. I've dealt with...image issues...for most of my life. I usually have it under control, but the pressure of opening night must have made me lose it a little." Blue was tying the sash on the meager apron Sarah was supposed to wear when John met her at their doorstep. She checked to make sure the fake stains she had applied didn't need to be touched up and said, "I don't understand it, but I do know that everyone is on edge tonight. You're worth way more than your waistline," she looked at Kalani's reflection warmly in the mirror. "Please just talk to me if you ever have any self-doubts, okay? I'm really good at knocking sense back into people." She winked at her and added, "besides, if the most talented actress on Broadway passed out on stage during opening night, the critics would have a field day."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kalani rolled her eyes and said, "yeah right!" but she had a huge smile on her face, so Blue felt comfortable leaving her to go check on Gael. As she opened the door and turned right, she collided with someone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If I get ran over by one more person tonight..." she muttered before realizing this person was someone she </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> to bump into. She looked up at Gael and said, "oh, hey," as he held onto her arm and pulled her back into his dressing room, shutting the door swiftly behind them. For the second day in a row, he had her pinned up against a door in this theater.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're amazing, you do know that right?" His eyes twinkled with wonder, but she wasn't exactly sure why.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh, yeah, I'm pretty awesome. Glad you noticed," she joked. "Wait, why are you telling me this right now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I was done dressing and went over to check on you and Kalani," he said. "I heard most of what you said to her. How can you be so blunt and reassuring at the same time? It's honestly amazing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue just shrugged and said, "I don't know. She is ridiculously beautiful and talented and awesome...she should know that and I have no problem pointing it out to her, especially when she needs it. Besides, she is always the same way with me. It's called girl power, Gael. You wouldn't know." She gave him a smug look, trying to make a joke out of something serious, as usual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He, however, was not amused. He was fascinated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He bent down and kissed her right there during a costume change on opening night, in his dressing room where anyone could barge in at any moment. Her body immediately responded and although she didn't completely understand what she did to deserve this kiss, she sank into him and let the delight of his touch wash over her. Carefully wrapping her hands around his waist so as not to wrinkle his costume, she pulled him closer to her. He smiled against her lips, delighted in her eagerness. Deciding to indulge in her a little further, he ran his mouth along her collarbone and up the side of her neck, relishing the small sigh that he caused to escape her lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes were closed and her heart was racing, but she was coherent enough to mumble, "if you don't leave in the next thirty seconds you'll miss your cue on opening night."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He groaned in her ear and said, "I know," before giving her one more deep kiss; not enough to even begin to satiate Blue's craving, but enough to get across his intentions for later that night. "We can pick this back up later," he said as he reluctantly let her out of his arms and opened the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue looked at herself in Gael's mirror, smiling at her flushed cheeks and disheveled hair. She had never really been in a situation that she had to hide her make-out sessions from the world, but she could admit the girl staring back at her in the mirror looked like she was enjoying it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the night went off without any problems. Luckily Kalani had been able to make it through her scene without showing any signs of oxygen deprivation, so the audience was none the wiser to her constricting corset. Every other scene was done just as precisely perfect as they could have hoped for on the biggest night of their lives. Blue snuck down and stood in the wings with the rest of the crew, watching the last scene and getting just as caught up in the magic of the show as the audience was. She could see the amazement flutter over the crowd as plainly as seeing brightly colored leaves fly by in the autumn wind. Blue took out her phone to snap a picture, she wanted to immortalize what Gael and the entire cast and crew had done for these people watching the show. Each person was completely captivated and inspired by the story they had just spent over two hours partaking in, their faces tense with emotion as Gael harmonized with Kalani and the entire cast joined them for the final number.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before the music even began to fade, with the last lyrics barely out of the actors' mouths, the audience began to stand. Within seconds, the roar coming from the seats was almost deafening and completely drowned out the music. The cast looked at each other, unsure of what they should do. Gael, high on the praise from the audience, grabbed Kalani and another actor's hands and ran downstage to begin taking their bows. The entire crew backstage was jumping and screaming and hugging each other, finally feeling the euphoria of the curtain call on a successful opening night. Blue spotted Arjun as he was pushing through the crowd trying to reach her. She started to make her way to him and let him pick her up in a tight bear hug when she finally reached him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We did it!" he yelled as he sat her down gently. "My girl Blue, you will be paying me back for the rest of our lives for calling you that day with this job waiting for you." He smiled at her and patted himself on the back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed at him and said, "I can't believe it, we really pulled it off! Everyone was so amazing! I'll never deny your genius again, I am forever in your debt." She gave him a mocking curtsy and he nodded his head at her, as though he was accepting her promissory obligation. He wrapped his arm around her as Kiara pushed her way through the crowd.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thank God that is finally over!" She was sweating from running around during the entire show and the excitement of everything finally coming together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue looked at the two of them, an old friend and a new one here with her now; she was lucky enough to be able to create something truly amazing alongside them both. "I'm so proud of you Kiara, you really worked your ass off and we honestly were an amazing team together. I can't imagine having done this with anyone else." Blue's smile was kind and humble, catching Kiara off guard. She stammered a "thank you" and gave her a quick side hug. Looking over at Arjun, Blue then squeezed his hand and said, "you already know this production would still be six months behind and sixty thousand dollars over budget if it wasn't for you. You really are great at what you do, and I'm so thankful I get to work with you." Arjun rarely was speechless, but he just grabbed her shoulders for another tight hug and said, "okay let's get out of here before Blue makes me start blubbering like an idiot."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughed at him and they started weaving through the crowd of cast and crew backstage. As they neared the edge of the mass of people, she spotted Gael across the room. As if their silvery cord tugged between them, he immediately looked up and saw her. The biggest smile she'd ever seen spread across his face, his eyes brilliant and full of celebration for a successful show. Everyone was standing around him talking loudly, most likely to him. But he just stared at her, only her, ignoring the rest of the chaotic little world around them. She mouthed, </span>
  <em>
    <span>"you were fantastic," </span>
  </em>
  <span>giving him a huge smile and watching as she swore she saw him blush. Again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>"Thank you," </span>
  </em>
  <span>he mouthed back to her from across the sea of people. He still smiled at her, unable to pull his attention back to the people surrounding him. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than for everyone to disappear so she could make her way over to him and congratulate him properly. She mouthed again, </span>
  <em>
    <span>"later?" </span>
  </em>
  <span>and raised one eyebrow at him as the question mark to her proposition. His eyes went wide for a second and then quickly back to their normal nonchalant look. He nodded his head adamantly and then almost got knocked over by another cast member giving him a hug, breaking their eye contact.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue's smile never left her face as she said, "you guys ready for this lame after-party?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara nodded and said, "yeah, actually! I'm excited to get dressed up and drink free booze."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun laughed and said, "me too, girl. Me too..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They decided to quickly finish their duties for the evening and then rush to Blue's apartment to get ready together. "Might as well go full prom-night experience with it, right?" Blue suggested.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun shuddered and said, "sure, except thank God I won't be losing my virginity to Brian Johnson in the band room and knocking over the bass drum in the process."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both Blue and Kiara spent the next few minutes bent over laughing at him and decided to call him Little Drummer Boy for the rest of the evening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Running back and forth from her bedroom to her bathroom, Blue was trying to hurry and finish her makeup before it was time to leave. Arjun was taking up most of her small bathroom with his spread of skincare products, so she could only use the mirror for making sure it looked good from afar and then run into her room to use the small decorative mirror on her wall to do the details for her signature smokey eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"If I'd have remembered Arjun likes to scatter every product he owns across the house in order to get ready, I would have never suggested this!" she yelled down the hall at Kiara. Using a tiny compact mirror to finish her own makeup, Kiara yelled back, "yeah, you'd think he had someone to impress at the party tonight."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun popped his head out of the bathroom at that, "You can't rush perfection, darling. And how do you know? Maybe I </span>
  <em>
    <span>do </span>
  </em>
  <span>have someone to impress tonight..." He whipped his head back and disappeared into the bathroom again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was finally happy with her makeup, and her hair was easy since she just decided to do side-swept waves pinned with a few bobby pins on the left side of her head. Her hair was already curled so she did a more dramatic part, and then hairsprayed the pins in place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now the moment she had been waiting for, neither of them had seen her dress and she was excited to see their reactions. She quietly slipped it on and walked out into the hall asking, "can one of you zip me up?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both looked up at her at the same time and their jaws simultaneously dropped. It was actually quite comical how in sync they were with their reactions, making Blue laugh a little as she said, "what? Is it too much?" Arjun had a purple brocade silk suit jacket on and Kiara was dressed in shimmery gold from head to toe, even her makeup, so she definitely wasn't overdressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both started questioning her immediately: Did she make it? When did she have the time? How did she plan on keeping her boobs inside the dress all night?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The important questions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I did make it myself, it's actually quite a simple cut," she said as Kiara was inspecting her seams immediately, "and don't worry they're getting taped in there. I don't plan on slipping any nip tonight."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, maybe </span>
  <em>
    <span>later.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>They finished up spraying and tucking as Kiara hailed a ride for them on her phone. Opening night was already a success, she was going out with her friends, Gael would be there, and the drinks would be free. The only thing that they had to worry about now was the reviews, which honestly wasn't too much of a worry. All the things they had heard through the Broadway grapevine were only good things, but there was still always that nagging feeling that someone wouldn't like it and would plaster it all over the Internet for the world to see.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they arrived at the location Malik had chosen for the party they simply looked at each other, speechless at the sight in front of them. There were already cameras flashing and paparazzi lining the road. They could hear the crowd outside on the sidewalk while they were still inside the car. Then the venue came into sight and Blue gasped, loving it immediately. It was an old historic building, probably built at the turn of the century. The Neo-Renaissance architectural style reminded her of her beloved library, with tall white columns out front and sweeping steps that romantically led up to the front doors.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I knew it was expensive, but Malik really outdid himself," Arjun finally said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I love that the lights shining on the building are the colors from the show!" Kiara's eyes were wide and she was taking in every detail. "I can't believe I've never seen this place before, it isn't a normal venue. He must have had a connection or something up his sleeve."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue smiled and could barely contain her excitement now for this "lame" party. She couldn't wait to get inside and see what tonight had in store for her.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Chapter 22</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Blue walked through the gilded foyer of the building arm in arm with Arjun and Kiara, gazing up at the fifteen-foot wide chandelier dangling above them. Each of the thousand tiny crystals sparkled as the light refracted through the glass, creating an infinite amount of rainbows to shine down on them. There was already a good amount of cast and crew here, everyone dressed exquisitely. For as much as they all complained about boring after-parties, theater people always love a good excuse to dress up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun pointed out a few celebrities, naming each person along with their significant other, how many kids they had, the top five most popular works they were known for, and any scandalous activity the media had previously dug up on them. Blue was thankful she had a walking gossip encyclopedia; Kiara said that she was upset her brain now had to store such useless knowledge. They made their way to the main hall, full of lounge areas and cocktail tables for everyone to congregate at. The couches looked plush and extravagant, like the VIP section at a club. Most people were mingling around the bar or already sitting and trying to chat up a celebrity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm going to go get a drink," Blue declared, speaking over the music. Since Crush*Trek was already DJing from a booth in the corner of the room, she could feel the rhythm pulsing through her body and creating the perfect party ambiance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay, we will go find seats. Get us whatever looks expensive," Arjun said as they turned right to hunt for an empty couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue turned left to head towards the giant bar and stopped in her tracks. She saw Gael about fifteen feet away talking to someone important looking, either a celebrity or an investor. He was wearing all black: a black suit, black shirt, and black tie, with his hair pulled back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>irresistible.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Black was definitely his color, and the trim of the suit was perfect for accentuating his...assets. Blue stood there for who knows how long before she realized she needed to get a drink and stop staring like an idiot. She started walking towards the bar and hoped no one had noticed her drooling over Gael like a dog over a bone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She had to walk right past him to get to her destination. As she got closer she noticed his eyes flicked over to her, then back to the man he was speaking with, and then right back to her. His mouth slowed down and then finally stopped, no more words falling from his perfect lips. She couldn't help but smile and give him a little wave, but kept walking and passed right by him. He turned to follow her with his wide eyes as the man looked confused as to why Gael suddenly couldn't speak. After he cleared his throat she heard him say, "Robert, if you'll excuse me for a moment..." as she moved past him and in the direction of the bar, a smug smile on her lips the entire time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Apparently the dress did its job well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She put one elbow on the bar and leaned against it, waiting for the bartender to finish making a couple gin and tonics before ordering for herself. The slit in her dress fell open slightly exposing her leg, just enough to make her feel sexy as hell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fancy seeing you here," a voice said right behind her ear, sending a thrill throughout her entire body. Gael moved around and leaned against the bar to her right, doing a terrible job of trying to hide his eyes as they slowly surveyed every curve and inch of her strategically exposed skin. "Blue, you look </span>
  <em>
    <span>stunning</span>
  </em>
  <span>. That dress..." His eyes met hers and she could see the desire there, right on the surface. If he didn't tone it down everyone would notice and that would be the end of “taking it slow”.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't look so bad yourself. That suit sure does show off everything you have to offer." She leaned to the side a bit to look behind him and her suggestive smile made him laugh out loud. "I hope it helped you get somewhere with that very important looking person you were speaking with."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah well, unfortunately, I was having difficulty concentrating. I just fumbled around and had to end the conversation with an abrupt dash to the bar. He probably thinks I'm an alcoholic," he said as he shifted a little closer to Blue, speaking quieter now, "he's not wrong that I did need a fix. Do you have any idea how addicting you are? I can't get you out of my mind, no matter how busy I am or how many journalists Malik makes me talk to."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, okay then. At least she wasn't the only one feeling like she was quickly becoming dependent on the effect he had on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bartender chose that exact moment to interrupt and ask what she could make for them. Gael reluctantly moved back and let Blue order first. "Old fashioned, please. Oh and two bellinis."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael looked at her, "you drink whiskey?" The surprise on his face changed quickly into certainty. "Of course you do. You never cease to amaze me." Blue felt like a blush could creep up at any moment, his compliments flowing so easily tonight, but she tried to act nonchalant. Gael glanced back down her entire body, this time not trying to hide his gaze, and then peeled his eyes away to tell the bartender, "make that two old fashioneds, thanks."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue played with the edge of a napkin that was laying on the bar, slightly nervous around Gael in front of so many people. She wasn't really sure how to act around him, their interactions having been so mixed before. Sometimes it was all business, but sometimes they had apparently been so obvious about the way they felt that Kiara and Arjun both noticed - and God only knows who else. She wasn't sure if she should keep professional now or feel free to openly flirt. After all, she had hit on him so many times before, the only thing that changed now is they had sex and expressed feelings for one another. No big deal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She decided to follow his lead and be bold tonight. Putting her hand gently on his arm, she asked, "how do you feel tonight went? It seemed like everyone was excited after the curtain call, and everything I saw all looked fantastic from the wings."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked down at her hand on his arm, then back up at her eyes, "right now might not be a good time to ask me that. In the moment I felt like it was all perfect, couldn't have asked for a better night. And I know the reviews have already been written for days, if not weeks. Julian said he saw a critic in the theater as early as only two weeks into previews." The bartender set down the drinks and Gael tipped her. Blue took her hand off his arm and picked up her glass, noting that he didn't seem to mind her touch at all, even in front of everyone they worked with. Maybe he really wasn't afraid anymore, like he said. After Gael took a drink he continued, "but it doesn't matter, I'm still going to sit here and agonize internally until I can read what they actually have to say; properly overanalyze every sentence written about the show until I'm ready to shut it all down and move to the countryside to live forever in my shame, you know?" He put on a fake smile and took another drink as Blue sipped hers. "But no one here can notice that," his voice was full of false bravado, "they all must assume that I couldn't care less about the reviews. The show must go on, as usual." He looked down as he swirled the single ice cube around the bottom of his glass.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I guess it’s somewhat important,” Blue said as she rolled her eyes, “I know what the critics say doesn't actually mean </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing </span>
  </em>
  <span>- if they like the show we get so many more opportunities and it makes things easier blah blah blah...but...you should know that what you did tonight was life-changing," she proclaimed. "And not just for you, for everyone involved. We all got to be a part of this with you and I can tell you that every single crew member felt it. The entire cast is still glowing, look around!" she said as she laughed and waved her arm at everyone around them. He followed her gaze and saw that the room truly was incandescent with the cast and crew's delight at how the show went earlier. "And the audience..." Blue continued. "the audience, well, they're the lucky ones. They got to sit down and experience the story completely fresh and with no expectations. And when they walked out tonight? They were changed. Gael, did you see their faces?" She pulled out her phone and showed him the photo she snapped. "They were all completely spellbound by the magic </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>created. You should be proud, no matter what the reviews say."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If the lighting was better she thought she might be able to better notice if his eyes were slightly tearing up, or if they were just glistening from the whiskey. She didn't mean to make him feel anything but encouraged, but she softened at the thought that he was moved by her words. He took another drink and set his glass down with a thud. "You're right. Damn it, you're right again! I know I go down this trail of despair at the slightest half-way negative thing said about the show, so I'm not going to worry. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Que sera, sera</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Tonight is for celebrating!" He closed the distance between them, yet again, and said, "and that's exactly what I plan on doing </span>
  <em>
    <span>later</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before Blue could even react, Arjun suddenly reached between them and grabbed the bellinis. "Come on Blue! Kiara and I have been dying of thirst over here while you've been whispering at the bar." He looked at Gael then and exclaimed, "damn Gael, over here all blacked out and looking fine as hell. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Almost</span>
  </em>
  <span> as good as my girl, Blue. What do you think, Gael? Is she not absolutely radiant tonight?" He winked at Blue who was trying very hard to give him the hint that she didn’t need his help.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael never took his eyes off her and said, "Thank you Arjun, radiant is exactly the word I was looking for. She outshines us all." And with that he turned and left, saying he had to mingle with some hotshots to make Malik happy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue watched him leave, already wishing she could follow him. She forgot Arjun was there until he said, "well you can thank me later, but I believe I just got him to admit he thinks you're hot. And his body language, whew! Let me just tell you, he wants to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>way </span>
  </em>
  <span>more than stare at that dress."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She already felt bad for not telling Arjun and Kiara about the recent development between her and Gael, and now she kind of wished she had. But they were “taking things slow”, supposedly, and she kind of liked the idea of Gael being something she kept for herself, just for a little while. She knew they would figure it out soon anyway, so she put on her best act, shrugged, and said, "as if I didn't already know that. Who could resist these taped down treasures?" Pointing at her boobs made Arjun laugh and not look further into Gael's interest in her, allowing them to peacefully return to Kiara with their drinks in tow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The party was surprisingly entertaining, most people dancing to the amazing music and forgetting the show they would be faced with the next day. Blue and Kiara finally spotted the celebrity gossip columnist that Arjun had been eyeing the entire evening; apparently he saw him on Malik's guest list and knew he would be there. Figuring out </span>
  <em>
    <span>that's</span>
  </em>
  <span> why he was dressed to impress, Blue pushed him off the couch, forcing him to go talk to the guy. Kiara yelled, "go get 'em Little Drummer Boy!" as he walked away, causing the slightly tipsy Blue to get lost in a fit of giggles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malik found Blue and Kiara laughing on the couch and came over to see what was so funny that they would risk spilling their drinks on their dresses. "Long story short, we are trying to help Arjun get laid tonight," Kiara snickered. Malik looked excited and announced that he too was being assisted by their efforts. "Your amazing craftsmanship already got me two phone numbers tonight, thanks to it being such a great conversation starter!" He straightened the bow tie Blue had made for him and looked pleased with himself. "Not that it did all the work, of course."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue laughed again and shook her head, "no of course not! I wouldn't dream of taking more credit than that face of yours. It's obviously doing all the hard work, my tie is just accentuating."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well let's just see how well it helps my face stay cheerful when the reviews come in," Malik fretted. "I'm the one that gets to read them out loud to everyone, so I'm hoping my limited acting skills won't need to be employed and that they are all great." He didn't look as worried as Gael had, being the naturally more overconfident of the two producers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue felt like it was her personal mission to encourage everyone tonight. "I have no doubt in my mind that they will all be fantastic. I'm sure someone will have something negative to say, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>we</span>
  </em>
  <span> know it was great." She looked over her shoulder for support, "right Kiara?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitting up straighter, the also slightly tipsy Kiara mumbled, "yes, definitely. It was amazing, couldn't have gone better!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Malik accepted their support and shuffled away to go do some more schmoozing, as he had instructed Gael to do earlier. Blue had spotted Natasha near the dance floor so she made her way through the crowd to talk to her about the upcoming concert while Kiara went to find some finger foods for them both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey! Happy opening night!" Natasha yelled as she gave Blue a quick hug. "Your costumes looked pretty amazing under my lights," she joked as she took a sip of her drink. Feeling left out, Blue grabbed some champagne off a waiter's tray as he walked by and held out her glass, "to the lighting and costume department! The theater would be naked and dark without us!" They clinked their glasses together in a toast and then Natasha remembered, "oh wait! I have to show you this..." she dug around in her tiny clutch for her phone and then showed Blue the screen. It was a photo of three different Arcanum posters, one of which was already framed. "I got a dozen of each poster printed and I'm framing one of each so we can hang them up outside the theater! Like they are really playing a show!" She beamed at Blue and added, "I showed Ken and I swear to God he almost teared up, </span>
  <em>
    <span>almost</span>
  </em>
  <span>. He asked if he could have the framed ones after we are done."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Natasha, they look amazing! They're so perfect! How did you get these photos you used? Are they new?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Actually yes, they are new!" Natasha looked proud. "I went over to Ken's one day when they were practicing and took some photos. You should have seen how excited all the guys were, it was adorable."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue couldn't believe how much fun they had been having planning this event. What began as a joke had now turned into something that was helping Ken and his buddies rekindle their love for making music, and even given Natasha a reason to pick up her camera again. "I can't wait until Sunday, it's going to be amazing. I asked Arjun to help make a schedule of when we would be able to set stuff up, and he was thrilled to also be their acting road manager for the evening, making sure they were taken care of in the green room and everything!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Aww, that's so nice. They're really going to feel like they're playing a gig again!" Natasha then began to show her the final design for the t-shirt they would give out to everyone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Without warning, a mic squealed and everyone quickly put their hands over their ears. The music lowered dramatically and an uncomfortable looking Malik stepped onto the dance floor and said, "sorry! Sorry, everyone! I'm not really used to these things...that's why they usually keep me in an office on the phone, much less likely to embarrass myself." Everyone chuckled and he continued. "So apparently the reviews came in, uh, a little earlier than normal." This caused an uproar in the crowd about whether or not that would be a good thing. Most assumed it could only mean that every review was so terrible it was easy to quickly post them online and destroy everything they had worked for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't worry, everyone calm down! I'm going to read some for you all now, okay?" He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, finding the reviews he had saved. "The first one is from </span>
  <em>
    <span>New York Theater Guide</span>
  </em>
  <span>," he paused and tensely looked around at everyone staring at him, desperate for him to continue. "They say: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing but Tombs</span>
  </em>
  <span> was not only a show, but an experience. It is an exploration into more than just one man's journey, but that of an entire people. To say it is phenomenal would be an understatement and do the genius of Gael Nevárez no justice." Everyone gasped and looked at each other, smiles growing as quickly as weeds on a summer lawn. Blue started looking for Gael, wanting to see his face as they listened to the wonderful words Malik was reading to everyone. "The </span>
  <em>
    <span>New York Post</span>
  </em>
  <span> says: more than just a hit, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing but Tombs</span>
  </em>
  <span> is a phenomenon." Standing on her tippy toes, Blue still searched for Gael's face in the swarm of her excited coworkers that were buzzing louder with every review that Malik read. "</span>
  <em>
    <span>New York Times</span>
  </em>
  <span> says: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing but Tombs</span>
  </em>
  <span> is a unique musical that nails it all - even things we didn't know existed." Finally, she saw Gael at the edge of the crowd and started to make her way towards him to gloat in the fact that she was right about the reviews. She couldn't wait to see his face light up when he saw her, smiling that specific smile that he seemed to have created just for her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she was getting closer though, she suddenly lost him; he had been right there, and then seemingly disappeared. She got to the edge of the crowd and barely caught sight of him across the room, dashing out into the hall; without even thinking, her feet started going after him. When she reached the door to the hallway, she looked left towards the main foyer and saw no one. Everyone was behind her listening to Malik, and she could hear cheering now as the crowd got louder at the growing list of good reviews. Turning her head to the right, she saw Gael opening a pair of french doors at the end of the hallway that led outside. She gathered the heavy fabric of her dress and walked swiftly down the hall towards the outside patio, wondering what he was doing outside when everything good was happening inside.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Chapter 23</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Slowly opening the beautifully crafted doors, Blue stepped outside and felt the crisp autumn air wrap around her, making her grateful for the long sleeves she designed on her dress. Not seeing Gael, but knowing he must be there somewhere, she began to walk around the corner of the patio where multiple fire pits were lit. There, standing against the railing and looking out at the skyline, was a very still and quiet Gael. New York City was too bright to see any stars, but the glittering lights of the city were a suitable substitute. Unsure of whether or not she should interrupt him, her inability to subdue her inquisitive nature ended up pushing her forward. Blue quietly walked up behind him and put her hand on his back, simply saying, "hey..." as he looked up at her. Immediately, his eyes told her what she had been wondering. He was upset, and she had a decent idea of what it was about. "What's wrong?" she asked, wanting him to explain it to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael looked back out at the skyline, his dark eyes illuminated by the lights of the city. He barely shook his head, mumbling, "I know it's stupid. I know I shouldn't care, but I do. I always let the negative emotions rule over me, and I hate it. Yet, here I am again."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue held out her hand and said, "let me read them."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked at her, hesitating to let her see the negative reviews he let bother him. He sighed and relented, handing her his phone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As she scrolled through, Gael moved a piece of her hair that had blown out of its place and onto her face, gently tucking it behind her ear. She looked up from his phone as his hand lingered on her hair, twirling it between his fingers. It thrilled her to know he really wasn't afraid of how he felt anymore, that he would do something so intimate and sweet. Looking back down at his phone, she read further as a scowl began to form on her face. The worst thing she saw was that someone had said something about the show not being for everyone - too narrow of an audience - and Blue had extremely firm opinions on that subject. "I won't let you focus on these," she finally declared, jutting her chin out in defiance. "They're not even that bad, they're just...not great." Gael just scoffed at her, so she added, "okay this guy? You can tell by his writing style that he's not only living in his mom's basement, but also jerks off to a list of synonyms of the word 'dismal', which he used no less than fourteen times in one article."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael was so caught off guard by her words that he busted out laughing, immediately easing some of the tension she could still feel in his back that she hadn't stopped touching since she walked over to him. "Okay," he yielded, "but what about this other guy? He seems a little more intelligent, like he knew what he was talking about."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh yeah, that's the problem. He's so smart he's stupid." Blue rolled her eyes, exasperated at the denseness of the article. "There's a pretty obvious irony and a very strong sense of cynicism that runs through the entire play, which he completely missed. I mean, if you don't understand artistic liberty then I don't know why you think you are capable of even attending a show, much less publicly reviewing it."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael winced for the guy she was verbally thrashing, laughing as he said "Ouch! Okay, I guess I have to somewhat agree with that brutal assessment, although I don't think he's wrong that it's not for every audience."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course it's not! That's not the point! Name one show that is one hundred percent beloved by every person that has ever seen it? You can't, it's impossible. There's always going to be a Bob in the crowd that was dragged there by his wife, and you know what? He's going to hate every second. Or a know-it-all Karen who thinks she could have done it better even though she's only watched plays on PBS her entire life and this is the first time she's actually stepping foot inside a theater." Blue softened her voice, realizing she was getting too worked up. "Tell me some of the good things they said."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What?" he asked, confused. "You mean read them?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yes, out loud. I want to hear you say the good stuff." She handed him his phone back and crossed her arms to show she meant business, but immediately missed the warmth of touching him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed and reluctantly scrolled through, finding the list of good reviews Malik had sent him. As he read them out loud, Blue watched his eyes change. They told her that he was slowly moving up from 'melancholy' to 'okay', but she was determined to make him read until he reached 'happy' or maybe even 'thrilled'.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just as he was reading the New York Times' review, a cool breeze whirled its way onto the patio and made Blue cold and bold enough to wrap her hands around Gael's waist inside his open suit jacket. His voice hitched slightly, but he kept reading as his lips began to curve into a content smile. Against his body, she was immediately warm again and felt him relax even more as the positive words flowed from his mouth and her closeness melted the stress.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"See?" she hummed. "So many more good ones to focus on. All written by wonderful, artistically intelligent people who don't live in their mom's basement."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wait. What if some of them do live in their mom's basement though? Does that discredit their good review?" he joked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Of course not, they're obviously just being frugal." He smiled at her warmly and wrapped his arms around her waist now, pulling her even closer. She asked him, "so what do you think?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"About the show? I mean I think it's great, I have since I first had the idea. There were plenty of times I struggled writing, I even put it away for six months once because I was so stuck on the lyrics for the final song, but I always felt like it was important. I love the characters and the story, and I really love the way everyone has brought it to life." He leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, barely brushing his lips against her skin. "I'm so incredibly lucky to have the best crew to make the show so much more than I could have ever imagined all those years ago when it first sparked in my mind. It really is phenomenal now."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"There you go," she whispered. "That's all that matters."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For once, giving into the good emotions that were quickly taking over his mind, Gael tilted her chin up and kissed her. There was no thought of who might walk out there and see them together on the patio, no thought of who said what about the show; nothing mattered except his lips against hers. Blue savored every second, already feeling like their last kiss must have been a century ago; there was no way she could be this desperate for his touch unless she had been separated from him for a lifetime, surely. His tongue was hot in contrast with the cold air, and he held his warm hand against her exposed neck, running his thumb along her jawline.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Breaking the kiss, he pleaded, "is it later yet?" His fingers left her face and slowly followed down the neckline of her dress, making her gasp as he traced along the curve of her chest. He watched her reaction in amazement, his eyes on hers the entire time. Blue bent her head to the side and kissed the spot on his neck that she had thought about a dozen times since she first found it. Satisfied once she heard the slightest moan escape his lips, she murmured into his neck that they still had to go back to the party and make small talk with influential people. Gael groaned and put his head on her shoulder, nodding in defeat. Quietly he mused, “you always smell like hibiscus - like home.” Taking a step back then, he took her hand in his and rubbed the back of her wrist like he had a couple days before. "Thank you for always encouraging me. You have no idea how much it helps."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue nodded, "I'm just giving back what I receive. You have supported me since day one, always made me feel like I was worth taking a chance on. I really have always felt like you appreciated my work, and it means a lot to have someone say they like what you create."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You weren't a risk, we all knew we would be stupid not to ask you to design for us." He pulled her hand up and kissed it, lingering for just a moment. "Oh and thanks for making me focus on the good and for thoroughly burning the bad to the ground. Somehow, you're still more capable of cheering me up than anyone else. Poor Malik thought I was a lost cause and assumed I would need at least a month to recover."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue smiled proudly at him, "that's my specialty, I guess. Now let's go back inside and soak up all those good vibes the cast and crew is putting off; based on how they were acting when I left, you're not going to want to miss this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was wrong about the atmosphere of the crowd, it wasn't good. The energy that hit them as soon as they walked back into the main room was absolutely </span>
  <em>
    <span>effervescent</span>
  </em>
  <span>, every one of their co-workers buoyant with the news of the show trending online on basically all social media platforms. An exhilarated Malik spotted Gael come back into the room first, and immediately ran up to him and slammed him with a giant bear hug. Blue could only look around at her friends in disbelief, stunned to see them all bubbling around at the good news like the fizz on top of champagne. She saw Kiara floating towards her and was still in shock when she yelled over the music, "we did it, Blue! It's a hit! Everyone is talking about the show! Look," she said as she handed Blue her phone. Scrolling through, there were thousands of tweets and posts and shares, all about </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing but Tombs</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They had actually done it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the evening was nothing but pure celebration at the success of their hard work. Blue danced with her friends, moving to the beat of the DJ's music and living off the high of the crowd's excitement. At one point, Kiara pointed out Arjun sneaking off with the columnist and they laughed at the success of their matchmaking efforts. Natasha convinced Crush*Trek to play a sample of Arcanum's music, telling everyone to make sure and respond to the email Blue had sent to the entire company inviting them to the next party to celebrate their success. Ken was glowing as tons of people went over to him and said they couldn't wait to hear them live.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hadn't seen much of Gael since their talk on the balcony because he was mostly preoccupied with networking and talking to investors, who were suddenly very interested in the show. He did finally join them on the dance floor though when Crush*Trek played one of the songs from the show. Everyone was singing at the top of their lungs, jumping up and down as the song ended and giving hugs all around. Gael grabbed Blue and hugged her, their embrace lingering longer than any other hug he had given that night. She held onto him, wishing everyone would disappear - not for the first time - so she could have him all to herself. When he finally let go of her, he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and smiled charmingly as Malik dragged him away from her, his phone to his ear. Kiara's eyes were wide, giving Blue a very suspicious look, to which she just shrugged and kept dancing as the music got louder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was getting late and Blue's feet were screaming to get off of them, so she told Kiara they should see if they could locate Arjun, although she was wondering if he hadn't already left them and gone home with his prize. She wasn't exactly sure if she should also try to find Gael and say goodbye, or what his plans were for the rest of the evening. He ended up being the one to find Blue on a couch in the corner of the giant room, resting her feet while typing a message on her phone to Arjun inquiring if he needed a ride home or if he needed a 'do not disturb' sign instead. Gael sat next to her, putting his arm on the couch behind her and sighed heavily. "So...I have to go do an interview with Variety Magazine; I guess they literally just called Malik and want to get ahead of the press tomorrow."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was shocked, not expecting that to be what he would say. "It's past midnight, they want an interview now?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah the world of journalism waits for no one apparently," he huffed. "It's a pretty big deal, they don't usually cover musical theater but I guess the fact that we are trending, well basically everywhere, means new doors are opening." His eyes were very open to her tonight; constantly being torn between huge feelings and having to network with so many influential people that the show depended on had taken its toll on him. "I really wanted to spend time with you and hear about how your night was, but...I have to do this interview and then I have to be awake in," he looked at his phone, "five hours to do some more press Malik already had lined up before tomorrow's show."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was disappointed in not getting enough time with him tonight, especially with most of it spent around everyone else and not having him to herself. She knew this would be the case, however, and things probably wouldn't be any easier for a while, at least until the hype calmed down and there was less for Gael to focus on. "It's totally fine, I understand. It's a huge deal! Go charm them and enjoy getting like two hours of sleep while I sleep until noon tomorrow."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh dear God, that sounds amazing. I don't think I've slept that late since...ever?" he joked, but Blue had a suspicion that actually might be true. He looked at her like she was miles away and not sitting right next to him. "I miss you," was all he whispered, but it was enough to take the breath away from her lungs, leaving only a few words possible. "I'm right here," she breathed, unable to say anything else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moved his arm that was resting on the couch behind her down to twine some of her hair into his fingers again, his eyes heavy and conflicted. "It feels as though I'm made of dusty old paper and you're a brilliant flame; no matter what happens, I'm always completely consumed by you. On a night that I should be thrilled to do a hundred interviews for the show, all I want is to be with you for a little while longer."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was taken aback by his sincerity and openness. "How am I supposed to be a good influence and encourage you to do your job when you say things like that?" she stuttered. Gael involuntarily began to lean towards her and wanted nothing more than to let him have his wish, but they were most definitely not alone in a room full of over a hundred prying eyes. "Go promote the show," she said, "it's important for all of us. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. You're the one that hired me, remember?" She nudged him with her elbow and made him laugh. "We have nothing but time."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Although Gael was grateful for her understanding, it still was difficult to get up and walk away from her. He promised to text her how the interview went and she promised she would be asleep and would read it when she woke up.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Chapter 24</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Opening week was as stressful and wonderful as expected, everyone on edge one minute and crying tears of joy the next. Each night a new crowd flooded into the theater, bringing with it a constant stream of celebrities and politicians looking to be a part of the hit show's first week so they could share in some of the spotlight. Each performance was packed, not an empty seat to be found, and the pressure to be perfect was settling on the cast and crew's nerves like sediment accumulating on the shore. After such a successful opening night, no one wanted to stop the flow by missing a cue or breaking a prop, so they all endeavored to make sure everything was flawless. This, however, resulted in everyone being, as Aunt Millie would say: too worn out to whip a gnat. Already, Blue was ready to relax and have some fun, blowing off steam at the Arcanum reunion concert and sleeping in as late as possible the next day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael had been even busier than before, with press and interviews taking up his entire mornings and afternoons, and the show taking up his entire nights. The only day Blue was able to see him outside of work was when he randomly texted her on an afternoon that she just so happened to be at home with nothing to mend or wash; he asked if she wanted to grab coffee at their favorite place, Village Cafe. She hadn't ever actually been there with him, he had only brought her coffee to the theater or she would often go by herself. Jumping at the chance to see him more than the few minutes she got to be around him during shows, she quickly threw on a warm chunky sweater and some black jeans. On her way out the door, she was so excited she almost tripped on Molly who had decided to sleep precisely in the middle of the hallway. Blue cursed as she stumbled and hopped over the ginger cat, who never so much as stirred as her human only missed her by a whisker. Literally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When she arrived at the cafe, it was easy to spot Gael since there was basically no one there at such an odd hour of the day. He was already sitting on a couch with a coffee of his own and one, she assumed, for her. She smiled brightly as she weaved through all the empty tables to reach him in the back corner, oddly enough in the exact comfy couch she preferred to sit at when she went there by herself. He was wearing a black beanie that slouched slightly, his hair sticking out all around from underneath, and a dark denim jacket. When he saw her coming towards her, his smile was warm enough to chase away the chill she brought in with her from the cold autumn day. He sat his phone down on the little table that held their coffees and stood up to gently kiss her cold and rosy cheek, warming her skin with his perfect lips. As she sat down - as close to him as the overstuffed couch would allow - she propped her leg up underneath her so she could turn and face him while she sipped her perfectly sweetened latte.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue sat her cup down, musing, "it's not as good as yours, but you have to give them credit for trying."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael laughed gently at her, "you're right, but their ambiance is a lot more appealing than the break room."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll give you that one," Blue agreed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Also, I get to do this here," he murmured as he quickly closed the distance between them, his unexpected kiss in the shape of a smile. She could taste the bitterness of his rich cappuccino mingling with the sweetness of his lips, immediately creating her new favorite flavor. "And no one can interrupt," he said as he pulled away from her and quickly gave her one more small kiss, just for good measure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue couldn't believe she was sitting in a cafe with Gael Nevárez, making out on a couch in the spare time between what seemed like his millionth interview that week and the evening performance of their hit new show. She had no idea what would happen all those months ago when she accepted Arjun's invitation to interview for the position of costume designer, but this was definitely not it. He made her laugh, she opened up to him about things she never spoke about, and she always felt something pulling her towards him. The silvery thread that had been forming between them was stronger; Blue could feel the bond tugging her closer to him while it also helped Gael's feelings for her grow clearer to him each time they were together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They spent the few minutes they had together drinking their coffee and talking about the interview he had just done. Blue noticed that Gael began to shift uncomfortably towards the end of his story, picking at a stray thread on his jacket. He looked up at her and finally asked, "I have a question, and you can say no - seriously there's no pressure!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sure, what is it?" Blue replied, unsure of what he could possibly be so fidgety about.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"When we were in the middle of the interview, they were asking about the costumes," Gael took her hand in his, "and I may have gone on and on about the costume designer and how amazing she is and the interesting process she had behind her designs...so they wanted to schedule an interview with you, if you're willing."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was definitely </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> expecting this to be what he asked, and it left her speechless for a moment. The show hadn't even been open for a week so she wasn't prepared for anything like this. "You mean right now? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Vanity Fair</span>
  </em>
  <span> wants to talk to </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span>?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, actually their sister publication...have you ever heard of a little magazine called <em>Vogue? </em>They are giving you an entire month to prepare!" Gael assured her. "They want to give the show time to garner more attention and for people to get tired of hearing from me." He smiled at her, flashing his bright smile and making it seem impossible that anyone could ever tire of him. "Once the main cast gets worn out, they want to be the first place to start branching out and hearing about different aspects of the show. What better place to talk about costumes than with <em>Vogue</em>, if you're interested?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Thinking about giving an interview to the most-read publication in the fashion world made her feel a little queasy, but she really wanted to promote the show and get it out to the world as much as possible. "I can try...I don't think I've spoken in front of people since my junior year of high school when I went to a school board meeting and berated them for cutting one-third of the art and music department's budget."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Imagining a teenage Blue in front of a crowd of miserly old men that were taking away her theater facilities made Gael laugh out loud. "And what came of that meeting? Did they raise the budget?" he wondered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Nope, two months later they lowered it even more. My friends and I were so furious we took matters into our own hands and fundraised every dollar needed to do </span>
  <em>
    <span>Fiddler on the Roof </span>
  </em>
  <span>without anything from the school board. When it came time to open the show, we specifically didn't allow them to come see a single performance."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael looked at her like he expected nothing less from her. "Of course you didn't," was his only response as he stole a piece of her hair for himself again, twisting it in his fingers absentmindedly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A wicked smile appeared on Blue's face as she reminisced. "I don't think I've ever experienced a more vindictive satisfaction since that moment; it's hard to beat."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wish I knew you then, we could have used you on our side. My high school here in the city was severely underfunded, of course, so we basically did what we could with what we had. I remember wearing costumes that smelled like they were made thirty years before and never once washed."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue shuddered at the horror, "I promise to make sure your costumes are always fresh so you don't have to relive that nightmare." She asked him more about his high school and learned that he was as popular as she imagined he would have been, easily blending in with each crowd and getting along with everyone. He really was a chameleon, able to change to match his surroundings and make everyone feel comfortable. But this is also what made him feel lonely, he admitted, never feeling like he could really open up or be himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Always putting on a show..." Blue said quietly, remembering the way he could slip on the mask as though it was second nature to him, always holding back from her in the beginning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael looked sheepish and put his hand on her cheek, turning her to look into his eyes. "And yet you're the only one that has ever seen through that, I don't know how...but I feel more like myself when you're around. You have this way of not caring what I do - which sounds crazy to some people I'm sure - but for me, it's so </span>
  <em>
    <span>refreshing</span>
  </em>
  <span>; like being under water all day and then finally getting to come up for air when I'm around you."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's not that I don't care what you do, my success relies heavily on your success." Her joke made those crinkles she liked so much appear at the edges of his eyes as he smiled at her. "It's just that I have this incessant need to dive deeper with you, for some reason. I see the mask and want to pull you down to the depths with me to see what really lies beneath." Blue put her hand on the collar of Gael's jacket and gently kissed him, savoring what she knew might be the last moments she would have alone with him for a few days. When she looked up at him she eventually agreed, "okay, I'll do the interview, but will you go over interviewing techniques with me? Teach me how to not make a fool of myself and the show?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You don't have to do it, you know? I'll gladly help however I can, but most costume designers don't have much of a media presence, so if you don't feel comfortable you don't have to do anything but show up every day and help make sure Kalani and I do your costumes justice on stage." He took her hand that was still cold from her brisk walk to the cafe earlier and held it with his own warm hand, melting away the chill.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's fine, if there's one thing I'm good at it's talking about something powerful that I'm passionate about. I'll gladly tell everyone I know about it." She echoed her own words from the first time she met Gael, seeing the recognition dawn in his eyes as he also remembered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stood up to leave and Gael said he'd ask Malik to forward her the email with the details for setting up the interview. As he was opening the heavy wooden door of the cafe, the New York City street noises began to flood Blue's ears and she turned to Gael before they parted ways to ask, "this was a date, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stopped walking and turned to look at her, the question surprising him. "I think so...do you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I do. I'm glad we agree. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page, I guess." She put her hands in her pockets to keep them warm, but also because she felt awkward questioning his intentions, as though her life was a Jane Austen novel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael gave a short laugh and mumbled, "I'm not sure you are ready to be on the same page as I am yet," but Blue didn't hear him over the noise of two taxis honking their horns at each other in protest of their opposing driving skills.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the time the end of opening week had finally arrived, everyone was excited to completely indulge themselves that evening and fully celebrate the success of the show and all their hard work coming to fruition. Ken told Blue that the guys were fully prepared and had been practicing in every spare moment. Their wives would be there that night to relive their golden days, since most of them had been together when the band was still performing shows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Natasha and Blue had spent hours the days before getting everything ready in the spare room that Blue had cried on Arjun's shoulder in weeks before. Once the last curtain fell they wanted to be able to immediately bring it all out and start the party by the time everyone was done closing up the show. They had the framed posters ready to hang, t-shirts ready to hand out, and all the 90's themed decorations ready to set up on the cocktail tables they would spread around backstage. The plan was for everyone to hang out backstage and get drinks from the bartender they hired while Arcanum set up onstage. When they gave the thumbs up, everyone could go sit in the house to create a realistic concert ambiance. Curating this experience for everyone made Blue wonder if she missed her calling as a party planner, or if she just really enjoyed seeing Ken and his friends, and even Natasha, rekindle their love of creative outlets they had let fall by the wayside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was making sure all of the cassette tapes she had glued together as centerpieces were still holding up as Arjun stormed in and proclaimed, "I'm done! This is my official resignation! I'll no longer be the production manager for </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing but Tombs</span>
  </em>
  <span>, sorry you'll just have to find someone else. My new role as road manager for Arcanum has fulfilled all my dreams of being praised and adored at every step I take." He sat down on a pile of boxes as though they were the glittering throne he deserved. "The wives have not only been fawning over every word I utter, but one of them even cried when they saw the green room I set up for the band. She cried, Blue! Is there anything better? I think not." He put his hand over his heart and looked satisfied with their adoration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You can't leave us, Arjun! Who will make sure the delivery guys for concessions leave their boxes in the right location? You know no one else can persuade them like you can." Blue was opening all the disposable cameras she bought for everyone to use that night, creating a pile of plastic wrappers that crinkled each time she added another on top.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ahh you're right...what was I thinking?" Arjun came over to help her unwrap cameras. "I can't leave you all here to flounder without me keeping everything running smoothly. I guess I'll stay, just for you darling." He gave her an inquisitive look then, eyeing her as he unwrapped the last camera. "So...I've been meaning to ask. How are things with </span>
  <em>
    <span>you-know-who</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Any updates since you guys slept together?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue froze, looking up at him slowly. "Uh...how did you know?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun shrugged his shoulders and crossed his arms, admitting, "I didn't until now, but I had my suspicions."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue let out a groan that turned into a small embarrassed laugh; she was half disappointed that she was about to have to endure this conversation, but also half relieved she wouldn't need to keep her relationship with Gael from Arjun anymore. "You're too sneaky and too good at reading people, it's honestly just not fair. What gave it away?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"First of all, his entire demeanor has changed. He's prancing around like, well, a guy that just got laid. It's incredibly obvious. I swear to God he is actually bouncing when he walks, it's embarrassing." Arjun raised one accusing eyebrow at Blue, "and then there's you...do you have any idea how much you light up when he walks into a room? You look like a kid that just found the cookie jar." Blue's cheeks filled with a blush as she rolled her eyes and laughed nervously. "If you guys are wanting to keep this thing a secret, for whatever reason, you are both going to have to be a little more discrete. At least you had the sense to take my excellent advice last time, so I'm assuming you'll do the same this time?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well I don't think it's necessarily a secret, we are just taking things slow. I mean, we are now. After we...well, it was a little fast and now we are slowing down." Blue took a breath and explained, "he is worried about what others will think, but he's made some big progress in that department so for now we are just keeping things between us. It's no one's business really, and things are so chaotic right now with the show that it's better to not add one more thing to his list of stressors. Besides, it's kind of fun having a secret fling - well at least a secret to everyone else except you and I'm pretty sure Kiara suspects the same but won't say anything."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun had to keep to his meticulously planned out schedule, so he had to leave her to begin prep for the show. As he was walking towards the door he turned to her and said, "just make sure you don't get hurt, okay? I don't think he would do anything on purpose, but he's got a past and it makes me worried for my girl Blue." He kissed her on the cheek and turned to leave her alone with her party planning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue thought about his warning and wondered if he knew exactly how she felt about Gael already if he would be even more worried. She could feel herself being wrapped up in Gael quickly and wasn't sure if she could stop it. She wasn't sure if she </span>
  <em>
    <span>wanted</span>
  </em>
  <span> to stop it. Not being young and inexperienced, she assumed she wouldn't feel this way, but when she was with Gael it almost made her believe in soulmates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Almost.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking forward to his first costume change was the only thing keeping Gael sane during his busy day with Malik and the press. As he walked into his dressing room to prepare for the show, he knew he would get what he had been looking forward to since he arrived at the theater earlier that day to begin warmups. Blue looked up from the rack she was hanging clothes on and smiled for him when she saw him. She let the last hanger clang against the rack and walked over to him without hesitation, standing on her tippy toes and wrapping her arms around him tightly as he bent down to kiss her. This kiss told her that he missed her and was tired of not being able to be around her; it told him she felt the </span>
  <em>
    <span>exact</span>
  </em>
  <span> same way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael put his hands on her cheeks and gently held her as he whispered, "guess what?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue was feeling lightheaded after his kiss, but was able to answer, "hmm?" and open her eyes to look at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grinned triumphantly at her, as though he had just won a prize. "I have the entire day off tomorrow. As in, no interviews, no phone calls, no shows. Nothing." So, he </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> won a prize and now he was hinting at exactly how he wanted to collect it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What a coincidence! I, too, have the day off tomorrow." Her hands slowly slid down his back and pushed him closer to her. "Too bad, I already have plans."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face fell, "oh yeah?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mhmm, NASA called and they need help designing the next space suits. I just can't cancel on them again, they've been begging me for years." She gave him an exasperated look as he rolled his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Wow, I have no chance beating that, do I? All I was going to do was ask you to go to The Met with me for a special behind-the-scenes tour to see the basement passageways, secret doors, boring stuff like that." He waited for her response and enjoyed watching her try to contain her excitement with each word he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine, I guess I can have my people call their people to try and reschedule. I wouldn't want you to go alone, after all." She ran her finger along the curve of his lips and then kissed him once again. "That's for luck, now go get changed while I check on everyone else." Ever since opening night, she had been giving him a good-luck kiss before each show. It had become a superstition that confirmed that the show would go well, and made them both feel lucky.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0025"><h2>25. Chapter 25</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"Set those tables up on the other side of that canon! And these go behind the mountains, don't drop them on the rocks or they will crumble!" Blue's voice cracked as she was giving out orders as loudly as possible. As Aunt Millie would say: she was hollering as loud as a hound dog that found its lunch. Trying to make sure she was heard over the noise, she bellowed her instructions over the rowdy crowd of cast and crew gathering in anticipation of the open bar that was being set up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Blue, where should I put the food? Do you have a table already set up?" Kiara asked. She had made Bagel Bites and Hot Pockets, from scratch of course.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, just put them near the bar so everyone can grab a bite while they wait in line for a drink. Thanks again for making them, they smell </span>
  <em>
    <span>amazing</span>
  </em>
  <span>." Blue moved to grab one off the platter, but Kiara swatted at her hands and told her to wait patiently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Natasha ran up to Blue and started pulling her in the opposite direction, saving Kiara's snacks from being devoured too early. "You have to come see this! The stage is all set up, the sound is being tested now. They're already dressed and looking good enough to make their wives swoon - the outfits you got them are </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> perfect!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue had been thrifting for weeks, finding enough flannel, stripes, and ripped jeans to outfit the entire band. Some of them still fit in their vintage t-shirts that they had saved at the bottom of their closets from all those years ago, so she built their outfits around them. The drummer said he had actually owned the same exact pair of pants that Blue picked out for him, noting the holes were in different spots though.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her own outfit was also carefully curated, giving Blue an excuse to show off her edgy side. She wore her platform Dr. Martens that she'd owned since high school with a pair of yellow plaid pants she found in a bargain bin at her favorite thrift store. They were tight enough to show off her curves, and the high waist accented them even further. She cut off one of the Arcanum t-shirts Natasha had made for them into a frayed midriff shirt and added a black choker necklace. Her long hair was half pulled up into two buns on top of her head, wispy pieces falling out and framing her face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You guys look amazing!" Blue beamed proudly at the group of guys that she had transformed from late-forties dads into their former rocker selves. "How are you all feeling?" she asked them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"We are warmed up and as ready as we'll ever be," Ken estimated. "I think we could all use a drink before we start though," he joked as they all headed off the stage to get a beer before everyone else could storm the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Natasha turned to Blue and said, "I need to grab my camera from upstairs and get pictures of everyone mingling, can you make sure all their wires and cables are taped down with gaffer tape so no one trips and Malik never forgives us? I think there's a roll in that box behind the amps."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue nodded and began rummaging through the cluttered box as Natasha left through the wings. She was bent over the giant box full of different bright colored spike tape used to mark the actor's positions on stage, digging to the very bottom where she could see the wide black gaffer tape that she was after. It was too far down and she was too short to reach it, but she still stretched her arm as far as she could in vain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Holy shit," she heard Gael's voice say from behind her and immediately stood up, almost falling over into the box in the process. As she steadied herself, she looked over her shoulder and saw him staring at her ass. A playful grin from Blue as she turned to face him only made Gael's mouth hang open more, leaving him speechless for a moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he finally gathered enough sense to speak, all that came out was, "you're </span>
  <em>
    <span>so</span>
  </em>
  <span> fucking sexy..." as he moved from the spot where he had been frozen to wrap his hand around her waist. They were hidden behind all the amps on stage and Gael was apparently in no mood to worry about other people tonight. As his fingers touched her bare skin, it felt like every blood vessel in her body reacted by immediately going into overdrive, making the spot where he touched her feel on fire. Blue was positive he could feel her body react to him as his other hand wrapped around her other side, sparking the same exact fire there too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If only he knew what else he did to her body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Thanks," she said while running her hand along his chest and down to his stomach. "I like your outfit." Gael was wearing ripped jeans and a matching Arcanum t-shirt with a flannel shirt tied around his waist. His hair was down and falling in his face, doing a poor job of hiding the hunger that was darkening his eyes as he looked down at Blue greedily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> like your outfit. How the hell did I get so lucky that I get to stare at this all night?" His hands ran over her ass, pulling her closer to him as she chuckled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I wondered if you were an 'ass guy', it seems like I was correct in my prediction," Blue whispered, afraid someone would walk in on them at any moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I am</span>
  </em>
  <span>," Gael sighed. "Actually, I think I'm an 'anything guy' when it comes to you." His eyes drifted down and he looked like he was about to do something, but held himself back. "You drive me insane, you know that right? Sometimes it's all I can do to keep myself from locking us together in the office again," he admitted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't hold back from me, remember?" She grabbed his ass this time and made a lopsided smirk appear on his face. She stood on her toes and whispered in his ear, "you can fuck me anywhere at any time. We don't have to go </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> slow." It had been a week since they had sex on his desk, and Blue was getting impatient. Her withdrawals from him had gone on long enough and she needed a fix soon. Trying to go slow after having a taste of him was excruciating, and she wouldn't admit it but she had hoped that tonight's party would be more successful at getting her what she wanted than Malik's party had been.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael still never expected anything she said to him, but was becoming slightly less taken aback by her forwardness. All he could do was look at her in awe, his eyes telling Blue that her request was very likely to be granted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay guys, let's plugin and get started!" Arjun's voice echoed across the stage as Blue jumped back from Gael, still hidden by the amps. "Natasha, can you give everyone a five-minute warning? Where is Blue, has anyone seen her?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm here! I couldn't reach the gaffer tape so Gael is getting it for me." She pushed Gael towards the box and pointed inside, giving him the hint to start digging for the tape.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun mumbled, "yeah, I'm sure he's getting </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span>..." as he peeked at them behind the amps, giving Blue a sarcastic look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolled her eyes but blushed slightly, hoping Gael didn't hear that as his head was inside the box retrieving the tape for her. When he stood up and handed it to her, Arjun said, "you guys better stop </span>
  <em>
    <span>messing around </span>
  </em>
  <span>back here grabbing </span>
  <em>
    <span>tape</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and go get a drink before the show starts in five."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll get us drinks while you finish whatever you need to do with the tape. You want one too, Arjun?" Gael asked as he started walking away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mhmm, oh don't worry, we will take </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> you give us." Blue nudged Arjun as she walked by him to start taping down the cables leading from the mics to the amps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're just jealous Mr. Journalist isn't here to </span>
  <em>
    <span>grab your tape</span>
  </em>
  <span>," she joked as she ripped a piece of tape off with her teeth, making a sour face at the taste of the sticky glue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"How do you know he won't be here? Or hell, maybe I invited two journalists tonight. We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" Arjun waved her off and strutted away as she laughed loudly, completely believing that he would invite two guys to the concert and go home with the one that "won". She had seen him do it multiple times at parties in college, so it wasn't out of the realm of possibilities that he was playing that game again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once everything was set up, Blue gave Natasha the cue to dim the lights and she quickly left the stage, meeting Gael in the seats and gladly taking the beer that he handed her. She was already feeling warm because of nerves, both from being so close to Gael and from being anxious for the band's first time to play in twenty years, so the cold beer felt amazing as she gulped it down. Gael watched her chug in amusement, teasing that she looked like she had done that a time or two before. She gave him a sarcastically innocent look as the house lights went dark and the curtain began to slowly rise, sending everyone into a frenzy. She was so excited for Ken and the guys, knowing they had to be loving the crowd's reaction. Natasha had planned for the stage to be dark with each bandmember lit from above, illuminating their silhouettes as their instruments glinted in the spotlights; it looked edgy and intriguing, making Blue even more excited for them to start playing. Ken started tapping his foot as he began the opening riff of the song, a lo-fi guitar sound churning out of the amps on both sides of the stage. The drummer suddenly kicked the bass drum and slammed the tom rack with his drumsticks, bringing the song to life with an explosive beat that made everyone begin to nod their heads and sway back and forth. The loud fuzzed-out guitar sounds from the lead singer joined with the heavy notes from the bassist and the crowd erupted from their seats, unable to sit any longer. This was one of their most popular songs, one that Ken had shown Natasha and Blue a video of all those months ago on his phone. It was like a mixture of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Cherub Rock", showcasing the band's talent from the very first moments of the concert. As the lead singer began to sing, his voice carried across the house in a melodramatic tone that cut deep when combined with his sharp and witty lyrics.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue looked over at Gael who was letting his mask fall, the live music decompressing him as he lost himself in the sounds of the band. She couldn't help but smile as she watched him enjoy himself and live in the moment, no worries for anyone else, not even her. He was so incredibly good looking on a normal day, but in that moment he was breathtaking. His hair flung back and forth as he nodded his head to the beat, and only his eyes were lit up by the lights of the stage, dark shadows being cast around his face making his features a mystery that she wanted to rediscover.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the first song ended, the crowd began to cheer wildly, begging for more. The band started into the next melody slowly, gaining momentum until the bass was loudly reverberating through Blue's chest and thundering down to her bones. She closed her eyes and let the sensation of it all overtake her, indulging in the thrill of letting go and not thinking of anything as her heart felt like it abandoned its own rhythm and began to beat to the rhythm of the song instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Arjun and Kiara joined them in their seats with more drinks in hand and passed them down to Gael and Blue, who gratefully accepted. Quickly downing them and setting the empty cups under their chairs, they jumped up when one of the songs got particularly unruly and the entire crowd was slowly turning into a makeshift mosh pit - or as close as it could get to that in a Broadway theater at least. Everyone was bristling with energy and loudly cheering for the band; it was quickly becoming a madhouse of delightful disorder. The scent of beer and sweat from bodies moving together and crushing against each other permeated the room, smelling exactly like what every room smells like where everyone is having a good time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few more blistering songs, the lead singer announced they would do a cover of a slower song before taking a break; He looked over at Ken who began to play the tight sounding notes of the beginning of "Drown" by Smashing Pumpkins on his guitar. As the crowd swayed, Gael put his hand on the small of Blue's back. She leaned into him, as close as she dared, and although she was slightly sweating from jumping up and down for the last thirty minutes, she still shivered at his touch. As the song was winding down and only had around a minute left, Gael suddenly took her hand and led her out of the seats and back down the side aisle. Unsure of what was happening, but positive she would enjoy it, she gladly followed him through the shadows and around a corner in the back of the theater. As soon as they were out of sight, he pressed her against the wall that was rumbling with the vibrations that the drums were sending out into every surface in the theater. He kissed her so deeply without hesitation, no sweetness working up to the heat - there was only fire from the first second their lips touched. Never breaking their kiss, his hand swept up her stomach then under what little fabric there was of her shirt, making her gasp. This was new. He hadn't touched her this much even when they had sex - it had been so rushed there wasn't much time to think about anything else. At this point, she could hardly control her mind, much less her body. Her hands slid down and rubbed against him and she barely heard Gael groan and curse in Spanish over the music. The song was, unfortunately, coming to an end so he kissed her again, the kind of kiss that stops the music even if the band still keeps playing. Blue couldn't hear the music anyway, there was nothing but the rushing sound in her ears as her heart worked harder than ever before to keep up with her adrenaline. She knew at that moment that she had never felt like this before, that no one else had absolutely taken her breath away until she couldn't imagine ever being able to breathe after this. Instead of wanting to come up for air, she wanted to drown in him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael pulled away, even with her desperate for more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Blue, I..." his voice was rough and he was breathless too, it seemed. "I need to stop or I'm not going to survive you." He ran his perfect hand through his perfect hair and Blue almost started undoing his pants right there, but she suddenly noticed the band had actually stopped playing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Fine. Let's go get another drink. But, I need a minute. To compose myself." She glanced down and smiled, "looks like you need a minute too."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael laughed nervously and muttered "yeah..." as he shook his head back and forth slowly and took a step back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She bit her lip, trying to calm down but unable to take her eyes off him. He gave her a warning, "if you don't stop looking at me like that, it's really not going to help."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smiling at the knowledge he was just as pained as she was, she pulled her hands through her hair to make sure it was smooth and didn't look like Gael had just been pulling it in a dark corner. "Who knew grunge music was such a turn on? Their wives must be helpless every time they pull out an old Arcanum CD."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael's eyes crinkled at the edges as he laughed, "God I hope they use that as a makeup method. Like every time their wives are mad, they just sneak the CD into the old dusty stereo - which I'm just assuming they still have one, of course - and then come out with flowers and an apology to the tune of 'Into the Machine'. Surely that works every time, right?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, absolutely. What woman could possibly say no to that?" She reached out and tightened his flannel shirt that had come loose in all the grinding. "Okay, let's try to blend back into the crowd and make our way to the bar. I'm sure no one has missed us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they walked up to the bar, Malik yelled out to them, "guys! Come do shots with us!" then held up tiny shot glasses already filled with some kind of liquor; it didn't matter what it was to Blue, she just needed something to help her get through the rest of the night as she tried to keep an appropriate distance from Gael. Julian was standing next to Malik and handed her and Gael their glasses. They all tilted their heads back at the same time, slamming them down on the bar to be immediately re-filled. Excusing herself, she left Gael laughing with the guys and found Kiara on her way to the bathroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh, there you are," Kiara exclaimed over the noise of the cast and crew gathered backstage. "We lost you for a while when you snuck off with-" Blue put her finger over Kiara's mouth and gave her a silencing look. Kiara rolled her eyes and huffed as Blue dropped her hand back to her side. "Oh come on, are we still pretending? Okay fine...where are you headed?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Gotta pee, is there a line for the bathroom?" Blue asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No clue, that's where I was headed," Kiara said as she started walking with Blue.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once they were done, they decided to go back to the bar to get Kiara a couple shots too. Blue was feeling unconstrained thanks to hers and she wanted Kiara to unwind and have a good time with her. As they got closer to the bar, she saw the blonde hair before her alcohol numbed mind could react. Then she heard Gael's voice, louder than normal and sharp enough to pierce whomever he was aiming it at. Carrie was there, in his face, with a taunting smile on her lips as Gael told her she needed back off. It only made her get closer to him, purposely trying to torment him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Whoa, what's going on? Let's all calm down," Blue said as she looked at Gael, noticing his breathing was ragged and he was not okay.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What, are you supposed to be, some kind of tiny bodyguard?" Carrie sneered, not realizing who Blue was at first. As the awareness spread across her face, she glowered at Blue and muttered, "oh wait, you're </span>
  <em>
    <span>much</span>
  </em>
  <span> more than that, isn't that right Gael?" Leaning even closer to him she spat, "she's the </span>
  <em>
    <span>replacement</span>
  </em>
  <span>."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Knowing at that moment that Carrie meant more than just the replacement costume designer, her brain tried to catch up to what was happening. How could Carrie possibly know that she and Gael had any kind of interest in each other?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You need to back the fuck up. Now." Blue looked at her with unbridled disgust, the shots lowering her inhibitions and making her even more feisty than normal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara added, "why the hell are you even here, Carrie?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Carrie snickered, "I  was invited! Some people just can't get enough of me, I guess." She looked at Gael as though he was one of those people, completely unaware of how obviously repulsed he was by her presence. "I couldn't turn down this invitation, I love a good concert, right Gael? Remember that night at The Bowery?" The look on her face suggested it was a night to remember.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue felt sick to her stomach and couldn't listen anymore. She glanced at Gael who looked extremely unsettled and wondered what happened at the concert that Carrie would try to mention it just to get a reaction out of Gael. And why did it make him look like he wanted to vomit?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It looks like history might be repeating itself tonight, albeit with a second edition costume designer this time. Hey, at least you're consistent, Gael!"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something fractured and Gael's demeanor shifted from agitated to livid within seconds. "Shut the fuck up Carrie, you have no idea what you're talking about." His voice was low and chilling. "It's time for you to leave, </span>
  <em>
    <span>no one</span>
  </em>
  <span> wants you here. This is my goddamn theater and I sure as hell don't want you here."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A loud voice rattled from the mic on stage suddenly as Ken announced they were starting back up so everyone should take their seats.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael turned around abruptly, leaving Carrie in his wake as he grabbed a hot pocket and another drink and walked away. Carrie mumbled something along the lines of "have fun tonight..." and walked towards the door. Blue didn't hesitate to push through the gathered crowd that was trying, yet failing to look inconspicuous while they eavesdropped. When she found Gael at the other end of the bar, he was knocking back a shot with some of his co-stars. She leaned against the bar next to him and nodded for Kiara to bring more shots. She handed Gael another one and took one herself, staring into his tormented eyes the entire time. He looked at her as he drank it and set it down gently on the bar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you okay?" Blue whispered, not trying to make any more of a scene than what was already forced upon them by Carrie. Gael just nodded at her and looked at her, letting his eyes do the talking. He really was okay, still a little upset and rightfully so, but he handled it well and she was proud of how he stood up to Carrie and made her look like the imbecile she is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue waved Kalani over and said she needed to check on the band to make sure they didn't need anything before they started back up. "Keep an eye on him?" was all she had to whisper in Kalani's ear as she walked away. Kalani nodded and said to Gael, "let's get some bagel bites to soak up all these shots!" Blue smiled at her as she and Kiara went to check on the band.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What the hell was that?" Blue asked Kaira as they walked through the wings onto the stage. "Who invited Carrie and why did they think that was a good idea?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I have no idea, everyone I know dislikes her enough to not want to work with her, much less hang out with her." Kiara stood there pondering as Blue checked that the tape was all still secure and asked Ken if he needed anything. As they headed down to their seats, Kiara stopped Blue and point-blank asked, "I'm assuming you and Gael finally slept together, correct?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue didn't have the energy to deny anything, and she had been waiting for the right time to mention it anyway. "Yes. We all knew it was going to happen, so obvious, et cetera..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara looked worried as she said, "Blue, Carrie is a vindictive bitch who is most likely not mentally stable. She will lie, and cheat, and basically do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything</span>
  </em>
  <span> to ruin you and make your life a living hell. Just because you're with Gael. That's it. Remember when I said she would be after you? I wasn't saying that for dramatic effect. Tonight was only a taste of what she's capable of."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue rubbed her temples, the alcohol no longer numbing her senses but instead teaming up with her stress to make her head hurt. "I get it, but I don't know that there's anything I can do about it right now. It's just going to have to be something I deal with if I want to be with Gael." Her eyes widened as she realized she had just said that out loud.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kiara smiled at Blue and said, "well at least you're finally being honest." They started to walk to their seats as the house lights dimmed again. "You're into him way more than just physical attraction. I've known Gael for a long time and you're good for him, I can see it. He's been different...like Arjun said: you light up his fucking life." She stopped talking as the curtain rose and the band began to play.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking in what Kiara said, Blue nodded along to the music and smiled. She was so terrible with weeding through her own emotions that it was wonderful to have Kiara pluck them out for her and confirm what she was already thinking. It had been such an amazing night, she wasn't going to let Carrie ruin it now. Also, Gael probably could use some cheering up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Oh wait, where was Gael?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stood on her toes and looked around to see if she could spot him, not able to see very far with her short stature and a very dark theater. Just then, someone wrapped an arm around her waist and mumbled in her ear, "looking for me?" She couldn't help but smile, loving the tingle that ran down from her ear to the floor when he did that. She turned around and looked at him, noticing all the shots he did must have finally kicked in and made his eyes heavy. The crooked smile on his face would have been cute if she wasn't so worried about him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You sure you're okay?" she asked over the loud music as she grabbed for his hand in the dark. He looked down at her and simply nodded, squeezing her hand and turning to watch the band.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the show ended, Blue sent Gael to find a bottle of water to drink while she cleaned up the tables and helped the band pack up. Arjun found her and mentioned Kiara had filled him in on the situation and that they would finish stacking the tables and make sure the bartender got paid, but Blue should go look for Gael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you sure? What about your journalists?" Blue asked as she tied up a garbage bag and put it in the pile with all the others.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Don't worry about me, I am perfectly capable of playing hard to get until this is all cleaned up, then swooping in once I'm done. Actually, I might just enlist them for help and see whoever works the hardest..." he trailed off as he walked away, looking for his contestants.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue found Gael sitting on the edge of the stage, staring out into the now empty and quiet theater. Most of the cast and crew were still backstage chatting and laughing, not willing for the night to end. She walked over and sat next to him, dangling her feet over the edge and lightly kicking them against the wood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael stated, "pretty successful party, I'd say. Seems like everyone actually relaxed for once and really enjoyed the concert." He was speaking to Blue, but looking out towards the empty house that was eerily still after such a lively night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, and I think the band had the night of their lives. They were all beaming as they packed up, it was sweet actually." Blue stopped kicking her feet and crossed her ankles, unsure of what to say or do, feeling awkward for Gael who seemed to be pondering something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael finally looked at her, staring intently and making her feel even more awkward under his gaze. "You did that for them. You gave them this night that they will never forget. You tried to make sure everyone had a good time, and they truly did." Carrie’s earlier actions had cemented his realization that Blue was so much kinder and more generous than the woman that had just tried to ruin their night. He clumsily took her hand and rubbed the back of her wrist like he always did. "Will you go home with me? I don't want to be alone tonight." He tried to run his hand through his hair, although it accomplished nothing, and slightly slurred, "plus I think I'm a bit drunk and don't want to stumble around the city by myself."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Feeling her heart ache at his words, Blue smiled as she simply stated, "of course." They stood up and she started pulling Gael towards the door, not caring if anyone saw her holding his hand; most people were either too drunk to care or unable to see them sneaking away in the dark anyway. She would make sure he got home safely and also try to make sure he didn't dwell on the one bad thing on an otherwise fantastic night.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. Chapter 26</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gael was apparently a troublemaker when drunk. On their subway ride home, he tried to pull two practical jokes on Blue, both of which failed miserably to actually prank her, but did make her laugh hysterically with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As they went through the full-height turnstiles in the dimly lit station, he stuck his leg out to try and trick Blue into thinking she was stuck and wouldn't be able to get out without calling the station agent over. He was a phenomenal actor, but apparently that all faded away when he was drunk and Blue immediately could tell by his smirk that he was joking. She quickly slid out of the turnstile, tiny as she was, and left him stuck in there as she bent over in an actual fit of giggles. Her laughing made him laugh, rendering him unable to figure out how to escape. Blue had to unjam the metal arms by kicking them with her boots until he was finally free.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were out of breath from laughing so hard, and running from the station agent that came to see what all the commotion was about, as they stumbled up to the train with barely enough time to hop on before the doors shut. At the first stop, a mariachi band suddenly walked onto the train and began playing "Cielito Lindo" as they sped off towards the next stop. Thinking he would embarrass Blue, Gael stood up and started singing along with them at the top of his lungs. Not only was she not embarrassed - she could listen to his amazing voice any time, especially if he was singing in Spanish - but she also stood up and began to sing as soon as they began the chorus, "</span>
  <em>
    <span>ay, ay, ay, ay...canta y no llores</span>
  </em>
  <span>!" The musicians walked up and down the train car as it bumped along the tracks; Blue held out their hat for them as Gael serenaded an older woman, eliciting a ten dollar tip for the band. When they arrived at Gael's stop, he gave the band a card with the box office's phone number on it so they could call for complimentary tickets to the show and then slipped through the doors onto the platform as they were closing. Blue stood behind the yellow line, waiting patiently for him as she watched him stumble gleefully over to her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"They were very talented, </span>
  <em>
    <span>si</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" Gael asked as he dropped a heavy arm around her shoulders. He was a trickster when drunk, and apparently also spoke more Spanish. Blue might have encouraged him to have another drink or two if she would have known her ears would have been so heavily rewarded that night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey, if the show needs a little boost once publicity dies down, we could always get them on stage! Think of the headlines that would inspire!" Blue said as she wrapped her arm around his waist and began walking, letting him lead the way as he laughed at her. She had heard more of his big, warm laugh in the last half hour than she had in all the months she had known him combined.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you funnier when you're drunk?" he slurred at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Uh, I'm not the drunk one. I'm only halfway between tipsy and pickled. You, sir, are the one that's drunk. Remember, that's why you asked me to come home with you?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Pickled? You say the oddest things, I swear. It's </span>
  <em>
    <span>muy linda</span>
  </em>
  <span> though." Gael looked down at her as she held him tight against her while she walked next to him. "And you're wrong, I didn't ask you to come home with me because I'm drunk. I asked because I am tired of seeing you every day for what feels like two minutes, then having to leave you. I want to fall asleep and you be there when I wake up for once."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue apparently wasn't quite pickled enough, his words instantly sobering her right up. She looked at him as they kept walking, his eyes ahead, and an easy smile on his face. His mask wasn't just lowered tonight, it was completely thrown away. She had been worried after the fiasco with Carrie that he would retreat from her, but apparently his encounter only bolstered his feelings for Blue and made him feel free.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They suddenly stopped in front of a nice looking building as Gael took her hand and led her inside. The lobby was dark with broad plank floors and black painted stucco walls. Sharp gold sconces lined the tops of the walls and illuminated the room with a warm glow, showing off a very well designed sitting area full of tufted leather couches. In the corner was an interesting reception desk that looked like it had been a part of the building since its inception. So far, this seemed exactly like a place that Gael would live: eclectic, edgy, and minimal, while still feeling inviting. They rode the smooth elevator up to his floor and walked down the hall, hand in hand. He dropped his keys twice and finally asked Blue to unlock it for him, laughing at his own drunkenness. As she opened the door he let her step inside first and he reached to turn on the light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first thing she noticed was the breathtaking wall of windows. The exposed brick was filled with floor to ceiling black-framed windows that wrapped around the corner to the other side of the apartment. Even still standing at the front door, she could see that they boasted a decent view of the city, enough twinkling lights filling the panes to turn the windows into a lighting feature better than any chandelier. Gael moved past her and shut the door behind them. He threw his keys on the kitchen counter that was to his right and took her jacket, hanging it next to his on the coat rack by the door behind them. The kitchen was filled with modern lines and warm wood cabinets topped with white quartz, a large island separating it from the living room that Gael was headed towards. He turned on an arc floor lamp that hovered over the dark green velvet couch as he kicked his shoes off and turned to Blue, pointing towards an open door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The bathroom is to your left, kitchen to your right, and bedroom is in the loft upstairs. Make yourself at home, I'll be right back." He walked into the bathroom and left her standing where she was apparently planted and had taken roots at the front door. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, she took her shoes off and set them by the door next to her purse. She padded past the kitchen, thinking that it looked like he had kept up his cooking routine. Smiling to herself, she wondered what he had made in the pots and pans that were sitting in the drying rack. At least it was clean; according to his desk at work, she worried he might have been messier than Blue could handle, but apparently he either had a housekeeper or his desk was no reflection of his house. Blue tucked her OCD away and let it rest, exploring the rest of his apartment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On her left, lining the base of the staircase that went up to the loft, was a bookshelf filled to the brim with items that were presumably important enough to Gael to display. There was an assortment of novels of which she was excited to ask his opinion on, research books on the Civil War that she assumed he had collected while writing </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nothing but Tombs</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and odd trinkets that each held some unrevealed interesting story that Blue immediately wanted to know. He had photos of people he assumed were his parents, the man's nose having the exact same shape as Gael's, and the woman's eyes belonging to him too. Random pieces of pottery and sculptures lined the shelves, mingled with piles and piles of sheet music. She recognized all the titles, all famous plays such as </span>
  <em>
    <span>Phantom of the Opera </span>
  </em>
  <span>and</span>
  <em>
    <span> Cabaret</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Just as she was thinking to herself that she would pay good money to hear Gael sing any song from </span>
  <em>
    <span>Les Mis</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he opened the door of the bathroom and walked out. She had been thumbing through the </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sweeney Todd</span>
  </em>
  <span> sheet music, reading all his notes in the margins, but stopped when he started walking towards her, feeling like she had intruded on his life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sorry, I love reading the lyrics and watching the play unfold in my head." She put the sheet music back as he passed behind her, walking over to the couch and taking his shirt off along the way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sight alone was almost payment enough for him trying to drunkenly prank her all night.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned to look at her, intrigued. "I don't mind at all; like I said, make yourself at home. You can see the play in your head?" She nodded and fidgeted uncomfortably. "Can you hear the music too?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Yeah, but only the entire thing, as a whole. I don't think I can hear each instrument like Beethoven, so no musical genius up my sleeve." She joked to lighten her own tension since apparently Gael was experiencing none as he flopped over onto the couch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he hit the cushions, a small black cat chirped as he hopped up onto the back of the couch, obviously upset to be disturbed from his slumber.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Within seconds, Blue had forgotten where she was and why. All that mattered is that she got to pet the cat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You have a cat?!" she exclaimed as she walked over and held her hand out to him, letting him sniff her before he decided if she was worthy of petting him or not. He put his head down and gave her the signal that she was allowed, so she spoiled him with perfectly positioned scratches behind the ear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Huh? Oh yeah, that's Percy," Gael mumbled as he shoved a pillow under his head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue stood there petting Percy as long as he would let her; she wasn't one to walk away from a cat and would pet until he was tired of it. "Why didn't you ever mention him?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael shrugged, "I don't know. Do you have a cat?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue nodded, "yes, an orange cat named Molly."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael smiled coyly, "why didn't you ever mention her before?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rolling her eyes, Blue admitted, "good point." Apparently Percy was done with her and jumped down to the soft rug and stretched, front legs first then hind legs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Percy trotted off to the kitchen as Gael said, "someone was moving out and couldn't take him with them to their next place, so I agreed to let him stay here until he could find a home. A year has gone by and he's still here, even though I'm pretty sure he hates me. I've fed him expensive food and bought all the best toys, but he's yet to warm up to me."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue walked over to the corner of the apartment where the window-covered walls met and looked at Gael's guitars sitting in their stands. "Well that's the problem, you can't just feed them, you have to treat them like royalty while ignoring them at the same time. It's all about the perfect ratio of attention." Percy had found his way back to Blue and rubbed against her leg. "Isn't that right, boy?" she asked as she bent down to pet him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael watched Blue, standing in his apartment petting his cat, and couldn't believe his eyes. He reached up and rubbed them, mostly from being exhausted, but also to make sure he wasn't seeing things and that she really was there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Do you play anything other than guitar?" he heard Blue ask, confirming she wasn't an illusion, but actually standing barefoot by his guitars in his living room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I play piano, guitar, and I can drum if I have to but it's not great. Oh and I can play a mean harmonica if the mood strikes me. I went through a blues phase in my early twenties and learned then, but I don't really keep up with it." His words were getting longer and his eyes were getting heavier.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue wanted to ask him a million more questions about everything, the stuff that filled his apartment feeling like the lost puzzle pieces found under the box that would help finish the entire picture of Gael. Instead, she walked over and laid down next to him on the couch, letting him off the hook since he was obviously trying so hard not to nod off. He instantly wrapped his arms around her as she nestled her face close to his, very aware of his skin on hers as her midriff shirt rose up even higher than it already was. He kissed her lips so gently that she barely felt it, then slowly moved up to her forehead and kissed her there, and finally on the tip of her nose. Blue was positive she'd never felt so content in her entire life as Gael's fingers slowly ran along her shoulder, even though she was pretty sure he was barely awake enough to know what he was doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"</span>
  <em>
    <span>Mi Azul</span>
  </em>
  <span>?" he mumbled into the top of her head that was tucked under his chin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm?" she replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're not leaving, right? You'll stay?" A slight crease appeared on his forehead as he barely spoke loud enough for her to hear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'm not going anywhere," was all she had to say for him to relax in her arms even more, then drift off to sleep.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue's eyes fluttered open as a sunbeam dared to shine down on her face. There was no moment of disorientation, no wondering where she was or who she was with. As she felt Gael's arms around her and his body pressed against her back, she knew that she was in his bed and had slept the entire night next to him. The story of how they got there was a bit of a blur though since the last she remembered they were on his couch downstairs. Without disturbing Gael by moving too much, she looked around the room as best as possible to see if she could find any clues. There was a chunky wooden bedside table next to her, but her phone wasn't there. She saw her clothes piled on a leather chair in the corner, then looked down and noticed she was wearing Gael's t-shirt and her underwear, but nothing else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That's when she remembered that she woke up a few hours after falling asleep on the couch because her arms started cramping up from being squished between her and Gael. She woke him up and asked if he wanted to sleep in his bed instead, but he just sat up like a zombie and was barely conscious enough to walk much less talk. Deciding to drag him up there herself, she started guiding him up the stairs and helped him reach the top. His instincts took over and he walked over to his bed, dropping his pants and falling onto the mattress with a thud. She could tell he was instantly slumbering away and she was jealous of his sleep skills. Since he was safe in his bed, she went back downstairs to the bathroom to wash her face and rinse the beer and hot pocket taste from her mouth. She grabbed her phone and his t-shirt before she trudged up the steps again, setting her phone down on Gael's dresser once back in his room so she could change her clothes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking across the room now, she could barely see that her phone was still there, but she was unable to do anything about it without waking Gael up. When she laid down the night before, she was so tired she barely even thought about the fact that she was sleeping with Gael.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She was </span>
  <em>
    <span>fully</span>
  </em>
  <span> aware of it now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His face was buried in her neck and she wondered how he could breathe from being so close to her. Blue could feel that he had his arm around her waist and was holding her close to him, perfectly forming her body against his. Her thoughts were developing more and more slowly as she felt his body so close to hers; she could feel that he was hard up against her and couldn't help but move slightly after staying still for so long. His arm that was wrapped around her stomach squeezed her even tighter as he finally began to wake up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He mumbled, "are you actually in my bed, or is this another dream?" into her neck, his breath hot against her skin. As she stretched a little, finally free to move in Gael's incredibly comfortable bed, her back arched and he moaned, "mmm no, you are </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely</span>
  </em>
  <span> real."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smiling at the fact Gael just let it slip that he had dreamed of her in his bed, she rolled over to face him. His eyes were only half-open, still trying to wade through the deep waters of sleep into the land of being fully awake. Pushing his tousled hair away from his face, she closed the minuscule distance that was between them to kiss his full lips, just enough to try and wake him up more. "Good morning." She dropped another kiss on his lips, lingering a little longer this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"You're right, it is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> good morning." His raspy morning voice was low and rough, like the warm sand satisfyingly rubbing against your skin at the beach. She hadn't expected to like it so much, his normal voice being such a source of joy for her, but she wanted to dig in and hear his voice like this every day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time Gael didn't wait for Blue, kissing her while running his hand through her hair and resting it on her cheek. This kiss was another addition on top of the ever-growing list of new kisses for them. Not rushed. Not secret. Not even burning. Gael's kiss was almost leisurely, as slow as the golden honey dripping off a spoon into a steaming cup of tea. It was sweet and sticky, making Blue want to lick her lips after just a taste, desperate to find another drop. Slowly, the kiss began to warm up and melt, flowing easily between their lips. Gael's hand slid down from her cheek, steadily grazing over every inch of her body that it could find.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly, the loud, high-pitched ringtone of Blue's phone broke the trance they were in and made her jolt up. Groaning in protest, she left Gael's arms and trudged over to the dresser where her phone was ringing and buzzing obnoxiously. Seeing Aunt Millie's face made the gnawing sensation of anxiety twinge in her chest, this being such an unusual time for her to call. She looked at Gael and mouthed "sorry" as she answered the phone quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hey Aunt Millie, is everything okay?" Her shoulders fell and she rolled her eyes. Her aunt responded with an emergency about her online shopping delivery being delayed so she wouldn't be receiving the special shoes she ordered for her cruise in time. "Ah...yeah that's terrible...umm can I call you back?" She looked over at Gael who was sitting up onto the edge of his bed, not taking his eyes off her the entire time. "I'm a little busy right now with a coworker...sorting out something I've been working on for a while." Gael laughed loud enough that her aunt probably heard through the phone, but Blue didn't care. She started walking back towards the side of the bed where Gael was sitting. "Okay, love you, bye..okay, bye. Bye!" Blue hung up quickly before Aunt Millie could protest any further and gently set her phone down on his bedside table, after making sure to put it on silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Are you wearing my shirt?" Gael asked, completely captivated by the sight of his t-shirt draping over her body. It barely covered her underwear that he caught a glimpse of as she walked across the room. Although they technically had sex a week ago, they still hadn't been together in such an intimate way; the thrill of her standing in front of him now was breathtaking.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue looked down, "oh yeah, sorry. I really didn't want to sleep in my uncomfortable clothes, so I borrowed this. Hope you don't mind?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I don't mind at all," Gael said as he ran both hands up her stomach, lifting the shirt as he went, until he realized she wasn't wearing a bra. With a desperate look on his face, he mumbled, "I can't believe you slept next to me in my bed all night long, in nothing but my shirt, and I had no idea...I'm never drinking again."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue let out a quick laugh, but when his lips connected with the tender skin of her stomach, she stopped abruptly. As his kisses traveled upwards so did her shirt, until it was completely pulled off, leaving her in nothing but her underwear. Her hands ran through his hair and stayed there, holding on to keep herself steady while delighting in his adoration. Placing his hands on her hips, Gael pulled her closer to him while hooking his thumbs in the waistband of her underwear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No longer surprised and finally satisfied at their pace, Blue jokingly asked, "what happened to 'going slow'?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael looked up at her, "don't worry, I intend to go </span>
  <em>
    <span>very</span>
  </em>
  <span> slow..."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her breath hitched as his teeth barely grazed her nipple, the heat from his mouth against her skin sending waves of delight across her body. She moaned quietly and pressed against him as he teasingly moved as slow as he had just promised he would. Unwilling and unable to go that slow, Blue began to push him down onto the bed. After leaving a trail of kisses up his body as she found her way back to his lips, she was finally positioned on top of him and helplessly moved against him, causing his hips to press upwards and meet her with even more friction. The look on her face was something Gael immediately understood and he knew she couldn't wait any longer, struggling to keep her composure as she moved faster. He gently stopped her and pushed his hand inside her underwear to touch her. The look on his face was pure delight, drinking in every sound she made in reaction to his touch and watching her face that was only inches away from his. In what only seemed like a few moments, she found the relief she was looking for and sank against his body. Rolling her next to him onto his bed, Gael admired her while he pulled her underwear off completely, shudders of pleasure still vibrating through her body. He slowly shook his head in astonishment, unable to comprehend how she was so beautiful. He looked at her lying naked in his bed, her eyes pleading for him, and tried to think of something, anything, to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the writer couldn't find his words.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally able to concentrate, Blue reached down and started removing his underwear after he reached over to his bedside table to dig around for a condom. As she slipped it onto him, he kissed her deeply, only pulling away to push her hair to the side and holding her face in his hand. The way he looked at Blue made her already erratic mind completely lose focus on everything else. There was nothing but his eyes. They never left hers as he slowly pushed inside her, making her hips rush to grind against him. She could barely form the words, "faster...Gael, please." Hearing her beg him broke down all his barriers. His eyes were wild, different than they normally were; they were completely feral and he took from her what he needed. Just like their first time together, he didn't hold back and she saw him completely unbridled and unwavering in his need for her. They weren't quiet, they weren't refined, and they weren't patient. For the first time, they were completely free to be alone together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>————</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael abruptly opened his eyes after having been half awake and half asleep for quite some time. They had dozed off together in each other's arms, Blue's head lying on his chest as his breathing gently bobbed her up and down while she slept. He looked at his phone that was laying on the bedside table next to him and saw the time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"It's noon?! I have never slept this late in my life!” He sat his phone upside down on the table and ran his hand over his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blue slowly stretched and yawned as she said, "you weren't </span>
  <em>
    <span>only</span>
  </em>
  <span> sleeping," with a mischievous smile on her face as she wrapped her arms around him even tighter. His bed was almost as comfortable as hers, which she was completely ecstatic about, and his body heat was so warm and relaxing that she thought she could lay there for the rest of her life and never leave his bed again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Mmm, very true," he mumbled as he absentmindedly ran his hand along the ticklish skin of her side, making her laugh and sit up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I desperately need coffee. And you are good at making coffee," she hinted, swirling her fingers in a pattern along his torso as she sat next to him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Ah, well it seems we are a good pair then. How about I make coffee, and you sit next to me - so I can bask in the sight of you in nothing but my shirt again - while you ask me the dozen questions I know you wanted to ask last night before I embarrassingly fell asleep?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Hmm..." she said as she pretended to ponder the arrangement's contractual nature, "sounds like a fair deal, but if you get to choose what I wear, then I do too." She bent over him and said matter-of-factly, "shirt stays off."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Shit, I should have added that clause to my deal too." He swept his hands across her back, already missing the skin that was about to be covered up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Too late!" Blue laughed as Gael stood up and walked across the room to a wooden dresser that's style matched the bedside tables, giving her a fantastic view of him from behind, making Blue immediately wish he was back in the bed next to her and not so far away. He pulled out a pair of shorts and a new shirt for Blue, tossing it over to her as he quickly slipped his shorts on. She had never really worn a guy's clothes like this, even guys she had been dating for months; it felt so intimate, and she liked that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gael walked over and held his hand out to help her escape the tangled mess they had made of the duvet and sheets. As she stood on her toes to thank him with a kiss, she asked, "was waking up next to me as good as you have imagined, dozens of times?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blushed for the third time since Blue knew him and laughed loudly, saying, "uhh much better. My imagination isn't that exquisite...but you,</span>
  <em>
    <span> mi Azul</span>
  </em>
  <span>, are."</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0027"><h2>27. Chapter 27</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the daytime, Gael's apartment looked even more impressive than it had the night before. Every detail looked like it was specifically chosen and perfectly placed, colors and patterns mixing incredibly well. The rug was definitely antique, the vintage landscape paintings looked like originals, and the pillows on the couch didn't come from Target. A chunky wooden table that looked like it came from a trendy New York City flea market was paired with sleek chairs in his dining area at the base of the stairs.</p><p>Blue watched as Gael walked towards the kitchen, petting a curled up Percy as he passed him on the back of the couch, then began his routine of making coffee that he had probably done hundreds of times. A perfectly eclectic assortment of dishes were neatly lined up on the shelves of the cabinets, along with a very interesting coffee mug collection. When he brought out his phone, Chopin began to echo from hidden speakers strategically placed all throughout his apartment.</p><p>"Ooh, fancy," Blue joked as she sat down on a barstool at the island, quickly joined by Percy who hopped up next to her and gave her a curious look, as though to say, "you're still here?"</p><p>Gael shrugged and responded, "music is life," as he pushed the buttons of his coffee maker and began to dig through his mug collection for the perfect mug for Blue.</p><p>"That makes sense...but, no offense, why is your place so...well, fancy? If you say that you have a talent for interior design on top of everything else, I might scream."</p><p>He laughed as he stretched to the very top of the cabinet after spotting the mug he was after, "oh God no! I'm completely hopeless when it comes to that stuff. If it was up to me I'd have a bed and a coffee maker, that's it." He sat two mugs down on the counter and started pouring the coffee that had just finished brewing, steam billowing out of them as he continued. "My sister is an interior designer so she did everything for me. She even got featured in Architectural Digest for this place, I think, or one of those magazines. I kind of feel like it's wasted because I spend so much time at the theater, but it is nice to come home to I guess."</p><p>"Wait! You have a sister?" Blue exclaimed as he handed her a perfectly sweetened cup of coffee in a <em>Les Mis</em> commemorative mug from the 1980s. She wondered when he even acquired this mug and how he knew she would like it.</p><p>"Yeah, you didn't know? Surely I've talked about her before."</p><p>"No! First a cat, now a sister...if you need to disclose anything else, now's the time." She suspiciously eyed him over the top of her mug as she sipped the delightfully warm coffee.</p><p>Gael laughed as he walked around the island and headed towards the couch with his coffee, Blue and Percy following not far behind. "Nothing else I can think of. Isabel moved back to Puerto Rico when <em>papa</em> died so she could live with <em>mama</em> for a while and help out, she's the oldest so she assumed it was her responsibility. I'm grateful she was able to be there for <em>mama</em>, I know it helped a lot."</p><p>They curled up together on the couch, sipping their coffee as Gael told Blue about his family. "She's engaged to a really nice guy named Jake, we actually grew up with him in Washington Heights and they graduated in the same year. Now they spend half their time in Puerto Rico and the other half in New York since he's some kind of VP at NYC &amp; Company; I think he's in charge of all the Latin America tourism marketing, or something like that." Gael took another sip of coffee and asked, "what about you, do you have any siblings or other animals?"</p><p>"Nope I'm an only child and Molly is an only pet. After..." she faltered for only a second, trying to push past the wall that always shot up as soon as she began to speak of her parents; she had spoken with Gael about it before and knew he understood her pain of loss somewhat, but it still was difficult to casually speak of them. "After my parents died, I moved in with my Aunt Millie, the one that likes to call at inopportune moments." She smiled and covered her emotions with humor, as usual. "She and my uncle didn't have any kids; I do have some cousins on the other side of the family, but I've only met them a few times. So I grew up around adults, going to dinner parties and the theater was my version of playdates. I mean I had friends in school and did a lot of activities, but not much family."</p><p>Gael was holding his oddly-shaped matte black mug in one hand and absentmindedly rubbing her leg that was draped across his lap with the other. "I honestly can't imagine that, even with only one sister my family is so large we had to borrow the neighbor's yard for summer barbecues! And the family back in Puerto Rico, I can't even tell you how many there are." He shifted a little to set their empty mugs down on the shiny coffee table and then pulled Blue closer to him.</p><p>"There were times I wished I had a larger family, or at least a sibling," Blue said, "but it honestly wasn't so bad. Maybe it's just because I don't know any different, but I'm really close with my aunt and can't imagine needing anyone else."</p><p>They continued to talk for a while, Gael answering her questions about the old letter he had framed from his grandmother, where the odd-looking bronze statue came from that sat next to his sheet music collection, and why he had a bunch of vinyl records but no record player.</p><p>"I inherited the vinyl collection from my <em>papa, </em>but his record player was broken and I've never had the time to find a new one. It's a shame, too, because it's a pretty fantastic collection." He stood up and walked over to the shelf that held the tattered vinyl sleeves, picking an album out of the middle of the stack and showing it to Blue. "He liked everything; literally one day he would be jamming to progressive rock from the '60s, and the next would be nothing but <em>reggaetón</em> all day long. He always said, '<em>Mijo,</em> don't ever discriminate against another human or another music genre; they both are created in love and should be respected simply because they exist.' I guess that always stuck with me..."</p><p>Blue stood up and joined him at the shelf, slowly running her fingers along the spines of each album and feeling the connection between Gael and his father there. "He sounds like he was a really cool dude," was all she could think to say, stirring up a laugh and bringing Gael out of his reflective thoughts.</p><p>"He really was..." he whispered as he placed the album back into its spot on the shelf next to its dusty old companions.</p><p>Thinking of her own father made a familiar pain in her chest appear, one that she often fought off and never let consume her. "My dad literally only listened to Fleetwood Mac. It was the only cassette tape he owned and it never left the boombox in his shop. I don't even know how the dials still worked on that thing, it was so covered in sawdust that he must have memorized where the play and rewind buttons were." The image of her dad bent over his workbench, measuring a beautiful piece of wood as "Go Your Own Way" blared through the terrible speakers of his tiny boombox flooded her mind. Blue swore she could almost smell the sweetly green smell of fresh-cut wood as Gael showed her another album that had a man standing next to a bohemian looking woman on the cover, making her eyes go wide in amazement; Gael's dad apparently had a copy of the same exact album in his collection.</p><p>"I am definitely going to have to find a record player now; I haven't listened to a single one of these in five years, if not more." Gael put that album away as well and walked over to the coffee table to pick up their empty mugs to take them to the kitchen.</p><p>The silvery cord that connected them was no longer wispy, not just thin strings trying to tie them together. It was now becoming as thick as a sailor's rope, knotting between them and pulling them closer to each other like the wind pulls the sails forward.</p><p>Blue finally asked, "how did you know I like <em>Les Misérables</em>? Or was that a lucky guess?<em>"</em></p><p>"You have a <em>Les Mis</em> sticker on your laptop and you've quoted Cosette twice in conversation, once in text. Plus, it was the first work in your portfolio, so I just assumed." Gael finished washing the mugs and set them out to dry as he walked back over to where Blue was standing and wrapped his arms around her waist. "So now the question is, do we get food - honestly, I have never slept this late and I have no clue if we are supposed to eat breakfast or lunch right now - and then head over to The Met?" He bent down and kissed her slowly, in no rush to break away from her coffee sweetened lips. "Or do we just order in and stay on the couch all day?" he asked, suggesting his intentions by kissing her again, this time a little more enthusiastically.</p><p>Blue's thoughts were muddled for a moment as she battled in her mind between Gael's kiss and the secret tour he promised at The Met. "I'm really not good at choices, I want all options; a sample platter of everything." She thought for a moment and then suggested, "Why don't we grab breakfast - because no matter the time of day, Gael, you never skip the opportunity to eat a breakfast burrito - and swing by my place for a change of clothes," she looked down at her attire of nothing but Gael's shirt, "since I don't think the docents would approve of this outfit." He laughed and showed his appreciation for her lacking outfit by acknowledging the access he had to so much of her skin. "Then after the tour, we can come back here and not leave the couch for the rest of the day. Or the bed. Or the table. Doesn't matter to me!" She gave him a wicked smile as he agreed to her irresistible and inclusive plan.</p><p>----</p><p>After a quick shower, while Blue cuddled with Percy and checked her emails on her phone, Gael called an order in at a restaurant that was between his and Blue's apartment so they could pick it up on the way. She didn't have to do a complete walk of shame since he let her borrow his black t-shirt that she'd been wearing, although she had to tie a knot at the bottom to make it fit somewhat normal; only her plaid pants gave away the fact that she had slept over at his apartment. As they walked into her apartment with sausage and egg burritos in hand, Molly met them at the door and gave Gael an inquisitive look.</p><p>"Molly, meet Gael. Gael, meet Molly." She walked over to the oh-so-holy cabinet that held the oh-so-beloved treats and grabbed a few to hand over to Gael. "Here, this is trick number one of how to get a cat to like you: spoil them rotten with treats. The more disgusting they smell, the more they will love you."</p><p>He bent down and held his hand out to Molly as she sniffed his fingers first, then the fishy-shaped treat. After gently nibbling at it with her tiny mouth, she swallowed it whole and then rubbed against him, requesting more. "Ha! It worked! I'll have to get some of these for Percy and see if he likes them."</p><p>"I told you! Cat life is mostly bribery and pampering, but once you figure out the things he likes he will figure out how to butter you up with cuddles in order to get what he wants." She scratched Molly above her squishy nose and then started to head down the hallway. "So this is obviously the kitchen and living room, my room and bathroom are down the hall to the right. I'll only be a few minutes, feel free to sit wherever and eat while I shower. Don't give her any human food, no matter how much she begs you with her eyes." Blue looked at Molly as she pranced away, acting as innocent as could be.</p><p>She started the water in the bathroom so it could warm up while she quickly picked out an outfit to wear to the museum. Choosing a soft tan turtleneck and black pants, she dug out her comfortable leather loafers from the bottom of her closet and ran back down the hall to the steaming shower. While she shaved her legs as fast as humanly possible, she smiled to herself as it sunk in that she was going on another date with Gael after spending the night with him. Two weeks ago she was lying to herself about her feelings, while secretly despairing the fact that their relationship had been cut short before it even really started. Now? After working together for months and watching their hard work pay off with the success of the show, she really did achieve what Arjun jokingly suggested after her interview; she got the job <em>and</em> the guy. She knew she felt something with him that she had never felt before, even as cliché as it sounded and as much as that thought made her want to vomit. While she wasn't one to easily acknowledge and accept her own emotions, she realized he was good at getting her to do exactly that, even if it was unintentional on his part. And for some reason, she felt a pull to get him to do the exact same.</p><p>Realizing as she dried off that she forgot underwear, she wrapped the towel around herself and opened the bathroom door. Gael just stared at her, Molly in his lap and purring loud enough that Blue could hear her from across the room.</p><p>Gael quipped, "are you sure we have to go to the museum now?" His eyes betrayed his joking tone, broadcasting the fact that all the art in the world couldn't be as tempting as what was underneath the thin towel draped across Blue's wet skin.</p><p>"As much as you made me wait, you deserve a little payback." Blue turned on her heel and headed towards her bedroom to change into her clothes.</p><p>----</p><p>After arriving at the museum and checking Blue's coat at the front desk, Gael quickly found his friend Angelica from college that had offered to take them on a behind-the-scenes tour, but she was on her way to a research meeting and wouldn't be done for at least an hour. Deciding to walk around by themselves until she was done, they turned left through a doorway out of the Great Hall and started with Greek and Roman art. The echoey room was filled with an excess of white marble statues that gleamed brilliantly under the lights, making them seem like specters rather than solid figures carved out of stone. In contrast, the bronze sculptures that were peppered all throughout them were dark and murky, the ancient patina that covered them rendering the lights practically useless in reflecting any sheen. Gael never let go of Blue's hand as they weaved between the columns, sometimes placing his hand on her back or around her waist as they stood and admired a Roman bust. She delighted in his closeness, in the fact that he was constantly seeking her touch and maintaining their connection.</p><p>Moving on to the next collection, Gael spent a while admiring the swirly faces depicted in the Art of Africa Oceania and the Americas. The gods, ancestors, and spirits all wore curious and sometimes comical expressions, preserved forever in wood and ceramic for everyone to see. Blue noticed Gael mimicking some of their faces and began to laugh quietly, but she still tried to muffle her snickers by dropping her head onto his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and whispered into her ear, causing even more soft giggles to escape. All their frivolity was making an older man carrying a cane look down his nose at them. Literally. He turned his nose up into the air and looked down on them as he shuffled away.</p><p>Deciding that they didn't want to get into any more trouble, they moved on to the Modern and Contemporary Art, assuming most people in there would be so confused by Cubism that they wouldn't notice their flirting.</p><p>"So the main reason I asked you here is to find out: are you a fan of modern art?" Gael asked quietly as they passed a very famous Picasso.</p><p>"Of course I am, I love all forms of art!" Blue answered. "I love that it challenges everyone's concept of beauty. I don't need art to be conventionally beautiful, I don't need it to make me feel anything, and I definitely don't care if it was difficult to create or not. I mean, I appreciate it if those things are true, but I don't <em>need</em> them to be." She tilted her head to the right, looking at a painting full of abstract geometric shapes from a different angle. Gael looked like he was pondering her statement when really he was enjoying watching her standing bent over to her side, squinting at the painting in front of her as though it was an optical illusion that would reveal its truth if her eyes lost focus at just the right moment. She stood up eventually and shrugged, continuing, "I had a professor that always said not everything was for us. There are devoted fans of entire movements no matter the subject matter, and then there are those who have only ever seen one single piece of art they liked. I think his point was to get us to keep an open mind, but it mostly just scared everyone into thinking their art was going to fall into the latter category..."</p><p>Gael laughed as she smiled up at him, noticing someone seemingly staring at them over his shoulder. "I have an interesting relationship with modern art," he admitted as she brought her attention back to Gael. "I appreciate that it was the first time humans began consistently creating about subject matter other than deities and death; they no longer idealized things, but instead tried to expose what was truly inside us. It became all about what you feel. Honestly, I think it's amazing that you don't <em>need</em> to feel anything - I often wish I could do that as well." They stopped walking and sat down at a bench in front of a massive painting that Blue guessed had to be over eight feet tall...they had finally arrived at the Pollock. It almost hurt Blue's eyes to see the paint splattered in the way the artist had covered the canvas, the textures purposely messing with her depth perception with each layer of paint he added. "But for me," Gael explained, "it's so easy to find meaning in everything; even when I can't find meaning I can still appreciate the technique and skill. I think it's beautiful that I can look at this," he said as he pointed to the painting taking up the entire wall in front of them, "and feel like it's a perfect visual representation of what's going on in my head sometimes. The chaos and obvious flaws. Overpowering emotions. Thoughts and ideas intersecting like his colors do as they drip down the canvas. Even though I'm sure that may seem melancholy, to me it's still beautiful."</p><p>Blue forced her eyes away from the black and white and brown that covered the canvas in front of her to look over at Gael's face. He didn't look upset; instead, his face almost looked meditative. He held her hand in his lap, gently brushing his fingers over her palm as though he was unintentionally tracing the lines he was staring at in front of him. She whispered, "you're right, that <em>is</em> beautiful. I wish I could feel more freely - not that I'm a robot, I do have feelings. Although if I was a robot, would I be conscious of that fact and able to communicate it?" Gael shook his head and kissed her on the forehead. Blue leaned on his shoulder and whispered again, "I don't want to hold back from you, and I don't want you to hold back from me, okay? I want to feel everything. I have a bad habit of...shutting things off. Don't let me."</p><p>Gazing at the painting ahead of them both, Gael promised, "the floodgates have opened for me for the first time in years - I don't think I could hold back anymore anyways, <em>mi Azul</em>. Also, I'm really good at making people feel things, it's literally my job." He smiled at her as they stood up to let another couple sit down and enjoy the painting. "I'll do my best to make sure you feel everything you need."</p><p>----</p><p>Angelica found them in the American Wing, after Blue had pulled Gael directly to the gallery containing all of Winslow Homer's art. She had told him about how every summer Aunt Millie would take her to a local museum that only held a few of Homer's oil paintings depicting idyllic scenes of farm life, but one summer an exhibit came and brought with it a few of his later works. As she walked up to <em>The Gulf Stream</em>, the same sensation washed over her as it had when she was fourteen, recognizing the harsh angles of the waves and the fierce shades of blue he used in all of his fierce depictions of the sea. She admitted to Gael, "I know it must be vanity, but the way he uses the color blue is breathtaking. Every shade looks alive, but the darkest blues are my favorite. They are as deep as the real sea; it almost feels like it's pulling me in."</p><p>His only response was, "thank you, Homer, for my new favorite color," as he squeezed Blue's hand.</p><p>When Angelica found them there next to the sea, she apologized for taking so long to finally be able to show them around. "I'm so sorry," she exhaled, "I really didn't think today would be as busy as it has been! We are acquiring a few new pieces that are being delivered around the same time, so the unease has been looming downstairs all day." She pulled back her thick curls into a bun as she started weaving through the small crowd of people staring at a portrait of a beautiful woman painted by John Singer Sargent. Gael and Blue followed close behind as he took her hand again, causing Angelica to give them a fascinated smirk. "And now a mob of paparazzi has gathered outside the front doors and won't leave no matter how much security berates them! There must be a celebrity visiting or something, they usually call ahead and warn us though. Anyways..." She led them through a door into a back hallway, ominously looking over her shoulder, "this hall is supposedly haunted, by the way." Blue smirked at Gael, squeezing his arm in excitement. "A daughter of one of the curators in the '50s died prematurely, and although it didn't happen here she apparently loves to wander the halls and play behind the crates, as she did in life."</p><p>Gael joked with Blue, "do you want to see if we can make contact? I don't have an EMF meter in my pocket, but we could at least try."</p><p>Blue declined firmly, "absolutely not! Little girl ghosts are the scariest ones! Let's wait until we find a nice old grandma ghost that is knitting in an antique rocking chair or something."</p><p>Angelica laughed at them and added, "well someone also haunts the writing table of Louis XV downstairs, I'm not sure if it's an old lady though." They had reached the research wing, dozens of odd-looking machines and sterile environments creating such a stark contrast to the rest of the museum they had just walked through. Angelica introduced them to an older gentleman with two sets of glasses positioned on his nose. "Guys, this is Roger. He is currently working on this illuminated manuscript and trying to identify the different pigments used by the Florentine Illuminator in what we think was around 1370, is that right Roger?" The man simply nodded his head as he continued to concentrate on the manuscript in front of him.</p><p>"How does this machine help you do that?" Blue asked curiously.</p><p>He looked up at Blue, his eyes twice their normal size through the magnification of two lenses. "This is an X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy unit. Spectroscopic imaging uses X-ray energy in two dimensions and can be combined to produce datasets that reveal chemical and molecular information down to nanoparticles. It is used in a non-invasive manner to map the distribution of elements across flat surfaces, such as manuscripts and paintings."</p><p>Blue nodded along as he spoke, acting like she understood exactly what he was explaining, then finally admitted, "I think I understood the word X-ray, but that's about it!"</p><p>Roger laughed and re-phrased, "it allows me to see how the artist used all this gold leaf to make his artwork more captivating."</p><p>As the dawn of understanding flashed across her face, Blue smiled at Roger and leaned closer to the manuscript, murmuring, "ah, I see now, that's real gold! In theater we try to make everything artificial look real, so you'll have to excuse me for forgetting that everything here is genuine."</p><p>Roger simply replied, "or at least we hope it is!" and smiled as he let Blue look at the screen and see his findings for herself.</p><p>Angelica and Gael stood back as Blue filled her curiosity cup to the brim. Giving Gael an inquisitive look, Angelica decided to alleviate her own curiosity. "Congrats on the show, by the way, it's all over my Twitter feed every time I look at my phone."</p><p>Gael smiled proudly, "thanks! I can't believe it's finally out there for the world to see and they all seem to like it. Blue is the costume designer, did I mention that?"</p><p>Angelica nodded, "yes you did, but when you text me 'hey can I bring the costume designer for a tour' I didn't assume you would be so...well blended."</p><p>Suppressing his smile, he asked, "what do you mean?"</p><p>With an exasperated look on her face, she rolled her eyes and said, "Gael, you've been so busy I haven't seen you in almost a year and you suddenly waltz in here holding hands with a woman, looking at her like she hung the Mona Lisa. Do you honestly think I wouldn't notice? It's my job to notice every tiny detail, and you <em>did not</em> make it difficult."</p><p>Gael let his smile grow as he looked back over at Blue who was now convincing Roger to show her one of Queen Elizabeth's knight's armor that was covered in Tudor roses. "Believe me, I didn't expect it either. I might have allowed myself to <em>hope </em>for it, but I definitely didn't think I had any chance of...well...her."</p><p>At this, Angelica's smile matched Gael's. "I'm happy for you. It's nice to see the old Gael back, you look even happier than you did in freshman year when you beat Blake Sullivan for the role of Puck in <em>A Midsummer Night's Dream</em>."</p><p>"Ah, that was sweet justice. I believe he had boasted that I'd never get cast because I was a talentless slug with no aspirations, right?"</p><p>"And look how wrong he was," she stated as they joined Blue who was still admiring her knight in shining armor.</p><p>————</p><p>After Angelica had shown them as much as she could without getting into trouble, Gael and Blue decided to leave the museum in search of food since her stomach had growled no less than three times in the conservation wing. On their way out, Blue thanked Angelica for a wonderful tour and jokingly promised she wouldn't speak about any of the secrets she had shown them that day.</p><p>After hugging Angelica goodbye, Gael started to walk out the front doors as Blue remembered she had checked her jacket and called out to him that she would meet him outside. After grabbing her jacket and slipping it on, she stopped abruptly at the glass doors as she saw the commotion outside. Gael was being swarmed by a group of people that looked like they were all trying to talk to him at the same time. Confused, Blue pushed the door open and ran over to the crowd, hearing shouts of, "Gael! Gael! Over here!"</p><p>She tried to get through the crowd, but was pushed to the back and unable to see anything due to her lack in height. Looking to her left, a man was holding a camera with a lens as long as Blue's arm and it finally dawned on her: they were the paparazzi Angelica had mentioned.</p><p>They were there for Gael.</p><p>She stepped away from the crowd and slowly walked back up a few steps, and as she turned around she was finally able to see. Gael was signing autographs and taking selfies with people while the paparazzi snapped hundreds of photos. He looked a bit startled, but was also riding the high of all their attention. Somehow, these people got word that the suddenly famous Gael Nevárez was at The Met...and they all came to see him.</p><p>As Blue watched the crowd grow larger as more attention was gathered, she was completely unaware of how incredibly turned upside down life would be moving forward; for her, for Gael, and for <em>them</em>.</p><p>THE END.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>**Part two coming soon!!**</em>
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